Scream, Aim, Fire
by Beccatdemon13
Summary: Life will never be ordinary for us. There are powerful forces out there. Things that can't be explained. So, we protect those who are lost and afraid. This journey is our burden, our secret, and our destiny.
1. Losing Innocence

**Scream, Aim, Fire**

By: Beccatdemon13

©2009

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anyone except for Aiden and Haley Winchester as well as anyone you don't immediately recognize. Please don't sue. You'd only be getting a hell of a lot of textbooks. What? Don't look at me like that College isn't a paying gig you know. But god I wished it was. Beccatdemon13 now will go off to fantasize about the lack of tuition payments that being paid would bring. Oh, right, the story! On we go…

**Synopsis:** The Winchester Clan Revisited: Life will never be ordinary for us. There are powerful forces out there. Things that can't be explained. So, we protect those who are lost and afraid. This journey is our burden, our secret, and our destiny.

**Author's Note:** Okay, so first of all this is a complete rewrite of my Winchester Clan series encompassing The Winchester Clan, What a Tangled Web We Weave, and Where Angels Fear to Tread. No prior knowledge of the series is required as this is the complete and total remake. The only characters that are remaining are Haley, Aiden, Sam, and Dean with some appearances from John. They have new allies and such. So, give me reviews and lets so how far this idea can go! This doesn't start off in Season One but it is somewhat following the beginning of Supernatural. Assume spoilers for all **FOUR** seasons.

**Chapter One: Losing Innocence**

"_You see someone running incredibly fast? The first thing you gotta ask is if they're running to something or from something? The answer is always both. Achievement is balanced by fault. You can't have one without the other."_

Everyone had his or her own set of rules: the rules that one would survive by. Some were purely trivial, look both ways before crossing the street, don't talk to strangers. Some were a little on the paranoid side, don't go out side, everyone's out to get you. And then there were some set of rules to live by that people would find insane. My rules to live by veered off the straight and narrow, right into the strange and creepy. The stuff that no one really understood but you knew instinctually it was there. You ever walk alone in a hallway and the hair on the back of your neck stands up? Or the feeling you get when someone is watching you but no one is around despite that fact you're nearly certain something was there moments before you turned around.

I was a walking ambush. To the eye, I looked like a normal eighteen-year-old girl but in all actuality that was far from the case. My name's Hailey Jade Winchester, I'm the youngest child of Mary and John Winchester. I have brownish blonde hair that at its longest point was slightly past my shoulders. The rest of it was layered, with its shortest length being a few centimeters under my ears. I have bright blue eyes and am five foot seven, the shortest of the Winchester children.

As I've mentioned I was the youngest, the rest of my family consisted of my father and my three older brothers. The eldest was Dean Aaron Winchester. Dean was our father's right hand and raised my brothers and I nearly singlehandedly. Dean is twenty-eight years old and has spiky dark blond hair and green eyes he's also six foot even. Samuel Scott Winchester is twenty-four years old. Sam has shaggy brown hair, he is six foot four, and he has green eyes just like Dean. Aiden Riley Winchester is twenty-one years old. He has dark blond hair going every which way. He has hazel-green eyes and is six foot two.

John Winchester, my father was the one primarily responsible for my brothers and I living the most unlikely of lives. What happened on my six-month birthday set a course for the rest of the family for it was on my six-month birthday that my mother, Mary, met her untimely demise. Officials said it was a short in the ceiling that killed my mother but my father knew better. Something had been in our house and it was the same thing that was responsible for our mother's death. It wasn't a person either it was something a lot more paranormal than that. Now, don't look at me like that. I'm not crazy and missing my straight jacket, I understand why you can't possibly understand all of this. Hell, you think I like knowing the fact that most things that go bump in the night, the very fabric of nightmares are real? But, I digress, my father, on a search for vengeance went straight to Daniel Elkins. Elkins taught Dad all he knew on the supernatural and then when we were old enough Dad taught us.

Because Dad was so consumed with vengeance, the chore of raising three children fell to Dean. It was often that I felt bad for Dean. He never got the childhood he deserved but he never complained. In fact, he took everything in stride. He made sure that we had clothes, food to eat, and that we stayed on top of any homework. We frequently stayed at motels in town or in the rare form in apartments. It seemed as though the older we got the more we moved. Sam didn't take to well to the constant moving and fought with Dad nearly every single day of his adolescence. It created quite a tense environment before he finally left when he was eighteen proclaiming that he had gotten a full ride to Stanford University, you know, the Ivy League one. Instead of reacting positively, Dad shit a brick, which immediately led to the biggest fight Sam and John Winchester ever had. The end result was Sam being slapped across the face with a firm order of, "If you're going than you stay gone."

All of us were stunned by that turn of events especially since it was that very man who said that we all needed to stay together. I think that was the reason why dad was so afraid to let Sam go, because he'd be all by himself, with no one there to watch his back. My thoughts were confirmed when, three years later, Aiden had the same exact fight with Dad. He too got a full ride to Stanford and had already called Sam. Dad had the same response but once we were on the road again this time minus both Sam and Aiden I could tell that he was slightly more relieved. He was still hurt but at least Sam and Aiden could watch out for each other.

Dean, Sam, Aiden, and I were close. Growing up the way we had the only stable relationships we had were the ones with each other. That kind of isolation creates a completely different kind of sibling relationship. We knew everything about each other. We knew how each reacted under any situation. Sometimes it was annoying having people who knew you better than you knew yourself but more often than not it was helpful, unconditional love and all that jazz. Despite that closeness, we were all different. For whatever reason Dean and I were more passionate about hunting, believing that it was in our blood, what we were meant to do. Sam and Aiden felt that we were forced into this life, that they had to do something else. That was why they left or at least that's what I assumed.

Even though, Sam and Aiden left to find the life they wanted they still felt guilty. I mean they did ditch the family. It wasn't fully their fault, my father was a stubborn bastard and thought he knew what was better for us. He didn't understand that some people weren't meant to do this. Aiden and Sam could hunt well, as well and even better then the rest of us but they didn't enjoy it, the rush. The feeling that we were making a difference, actually living while most people just trudged along until the day they died. Sometimes this life was hard. We didn't have a stable home; we were constantly on the run trying to find the thing that killed our mother meanwhile killing every evil thing we came across. Hunting wasn't without its consequences. It was very easy to get hurt and other people just vanished into the night. It was a dangerous world that we had entered and the only way out was in a body bag.

Everything hurt from my toenails all the way to my eyeballs, every single nerve ending I had was screaming in pain. Tears leaked from my eyes as I fought my bindings, trying to do anything I could to get away from the pain. I was bound completely tied to a chair with my feet tied together while my hands were behind my back, the handcuffs digging into the fragile skin around my wrist. Blood coated every surface of my skin, sticking my clothes to my body, matting my hair, stinging my eyes and making me lightheaded.

"What do you want?" I groaned.

"This is a warning," A man growled. "You stay out of our way and maybe I'll let your brothers live. You on the other hand won't be so lucky."

The man had black eyes and was relishing the fact that it was me not him tied up. He was possessed I could tell from the inky blackness that covered both his eyes masking both his natural eye color and the white of the eye. From what I gathered he was the one who had taken me from the motel room I was sharing with Dean. But who knows how long ago that was. Time was a confusing thing to process when you were disoriented and bleeding profusely. The only thing I knew was it had been days since I had disappeared. Dean must be losing his mind.

"Fuck you," I hissed.

"You kiss your mother with that mouth?" The man demanded backhanding me across the jaw so hard that I was surprised it wasn't dislocated. "Oh, right, I forgot, you don't."

"How about I smack that smartass right outta your mouth?" I growled.

"Now, that would be a trick," The man laughed. "How about that? Little innocent Hailey Winchester wants to hurt little old me?"

"First chance I get," I promised.

"You're certainly cocky for someone who is all alone," The man scoffed. "What do you expect big brother to burst in and save the day? Well, I got a newsflash for you kiddo. You're four states away from that motel room."

"It doesn't matter." I scoffed baring my bloody teeth in a sinister smile. "He'll find me. He always does."

"No, he'll find your body," The man corrected. "Now, what I want to know is what your brothers would think if they knew what you are. But I guess you're going to die with that secret."

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas," I whispered.

"You stupid slut!" The man shouted punching me in the stomach before slapping me across the face. "An exorcism? Are you kidding me? You really are a stupid little slut!"

I moaned at the unwelcome flash of pain. I watched as the man came back with a knife getting closer to me with an evil smile on his face. Bastard, there was no way I could fend myself off from a knife when I was bound completely. I squashed an involuntary whimper as I squeezed my eyes shut, jumping when I heard a body slam against the opposite wall. I cautiously opened one eye and saw that the man was pinned against the wall. The man struggled trying to free himself but he couldn't I spat a mouthful of blood and grinned. I didn't know how exactly the man was pinned to the wall but I didn't really care. Without knowing how long he would be pinned I quickly began to rattle off the rest if the exorcism rite, "Omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio, et secta diabolica. Perditionis venenum propinare. Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciae, hostis humanae salutis. Humiliare sub potenti manu dei, contremisce et effuge, invocato a nobis sancto et terribili nomine, quem inferi tremunt."

The man was grunting with the effort the demon was taking to remain in the body.

"Tainted little human," The man hissed. "You think you're better than us? You're one of us."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" I snarled. "I'm not like you and I never will be."

"You just keep lying to yourself, baby," The man laughed. "Sooner or later you'll realize the truth."

"Ab insidiis diaboli nos, domine. Ut ecclesiam tuam secura tibi facias libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos. Te rogamus audi dominicos sanctae ecclesiae. Terogamus audi nos!" I yelled ignoring the demon's statement.

The man fell from the wall to his knees as black smoke poured out of his mouth. The black smoke, which was the form a lower level demon took when it wasn't possessing someone, vanished. I watched the man cautiously just because I didn't know exactly who he was or what he was capable of when in control of his own body. I grimaced for the man I didn't know because when possessed a demon took full control of one's body turning someone into a puppet for anything the demon could come up with.

I slumped forward in the chair, moaning in pain. I didn't know where I was but I did know that I needed medical attention and fast. I was pushing my own levels of what I could take as I struggled to keep conscious and coherent instead of letting my body finally get some sleep. I was just about to give into the temptation of just sleeping, only for a few minutes when the doors to the warehouse burst open. I fought against my bindings cursing the demon for doing such a good job at restraining me, thereby leaving me defenseless for whoever else decided to join the fucking party.

"Hails?" A familiar voice shouted.

"Aiden?" I gasped. Whether it was a gasp from confusion, relief, or a mixture of the two, I couldn't be sure. Maybe I was hallucinating, Aiden was at school but I felt his presence all the same. Was this what dying felt like?

"Hailey!" Aiden shouted coming into view. He ran straight towards me attempting to see what he could do. He seemed at a loss and instead began shouting, "Dean! Sam! I found her!"

"About time you guys showed up," I whispered, realizing that Aiden was actually standing right in front of me.

"Just take it easy, Hails, everything's going to be okay," Aiden promised.

I was vaguely aware of the cuffs coming away from my wrist and the ropes being cut. Thankfully, Aiden had quick reflexes because he caught me as my body went limp as everything went black. Hunting and nearly everything else Dad, my brothers and I did for a living carried some amount of risk. Spirits, poltergeists, and random things and people that just wanted you dead made for a pretty dangerous situation and the only health insurance we had was fake. We avoided hospitals as much as we could. Not only were they expensive but also it was just too risky using fake information. We helped stitch each other up, cleaned out infections, took out bullets, and reset countless dislocated bones. But every so often, there was something that we just couldn't treat and that was where the hospital came in. That was when the risks were outweighed. Our health trumped any risk and that was what was important.

When I woke up next I was in a bright, white, obnoxiously clean room, attached to all sorts of wires. Even though I vaguely remembered thinking to myself that, I needed a hospital it didn't make it any easier to take. To say that I was freaked would be an understatement. I was only eighteen and had only been actively hunting with my brother for a couple of years, three tops. Within that time span, I had only been hospitalized twice before, which meant that this was bad, like really, really bad. What made it worse was the fact that Sam and Aiden were on either side of my bed. Normally having nearly all my brothers here would be an average day but not when those aforementioned brothers and I have been incommunicado for the past two years.

"Aiden?" I whispered. "Sammy?"

"Hails!" Aiden smiled.

Before I could react, Aiden launched himself at me crushing me against his chest. I groaned and coughed. I wasn't aware of the pain moments before but it all came rushing back leaving me gasping for air.

"Hailey?" Sam asked catching the hitch in my breathing. "God, Aiden, take it easy with her."

"What's going on?" I asked. "What are you both doing here? Where's Dean?"

"Dean's talking to your doctor," Aiden replied. "We're here because you're in the hospital."

"So?" I asked. "I've been hospitalized before this year and so has Dean and neither of you have came running."

"Hailey, you've been in a coma for a month," Sam replied. "And it took us three weeks to find you."

"What?" I whispered.

Sam tried to explain more but I waved my hand effectively cutting him off mid-explanation. I didn't want a play-by-play of what happened and what led me to be hospitalized. I was more concerned about how Sam and Aiden had gotten there and why they were by my bedside and Dean wasn't. Not that Sam and Aiden didn't care about me or I wasn't happy to see them. But it had been two years since I had seen them last and I was a little unclear on the facts that brought them back. After all, I had no facts to back it up; hell, I also had apparently missed the last month entirely.

**Dean's Point of View**

Maybe it was my fault. I had been giving Hailey more and more space since she had made her first kill a little less than a year ago. Sure, she salted and burned spirits remains, helped with research, and all that but she was the one who actually killed the shape shifter. Hailey might just be eighteen years old but she was a fucking natural. So, maybe that clouded my judgment a little. We had just finished a hunt when Hailey vanished from the motel room. When I woke up, she was just gone, leaving all of her stuff, her wallet, and her phone.

I wasn't really sure why I immediately started driving to California. Sure, Aiden and Sammy were still my brothers but it had been two years since I had seen them last. The last time that I saw Sam and Aiden was tense to say the least. They had caught us during one of our trips to make sure they were okay. I understood that hunting was not for everyone but they had grown up in the field same as we had and yet it was only Hailey and I who were stayed with it. I wasn't mad at Aiden and Sam for finding their own path but there were no calls no anything for two whole years. You just don't abandon your family because you want to go to college. It was a bad place. Dad never mentioned it and Hailey got really bitchy whenever Sam or Aiden came up in conversation. Even with all of that in mind, I needed their help. Hailey just vanishing changed everything.

I didn't even know how I was going to convince them and part of me almost didn't want to but I had no choice Hailey was counting on me. She wouldn't just run away; she knew better than that. Aiden and Sam had gotten an apartment two blocks away from the University, which made it easier to get to them because I didn't have to outsmart security. I scaled up the back of the building using the drainpipe before climbing through the window. I was walking around getting my senses back when a punch was thrown right at my face. I deflected the blow kicking one of my brothers' back. He came back at me before I swept his legs out and pinned him to the ground.

"Easy there, tiger," I smirked. I knew it was Sam as soon as he threw the first punch. The figure under me was tall but he was more filled out than Aiden was.

"Dean?" Sam gasped. "You scared the crap out of me."

"That's because you're out of practice," I scolded. I suddenly found myself kicked off of Sam as he pinned me to the ground. "Or not. Get off me."

"Dean?" Aiden asked as the light suddenly turned on.

"Hey, junior," I smirked as Sam helped me off the floor.

"What's going on?" Aiden asked. "Where's Hailey?"

"That's why I'm here, she's just gone," I stated. "Vanished in the middle of the night without a trace."

"What?" Sam gasped.

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "We had just finished a hunt. We were taking off to meet Dad the next day."

"You weren't with Dad?" Aiden asked.

"No, Hailey and I work our own gigs, we meet up with Dad every few weeks," I sighed. "But, Dad missed a check-in as I was driving up. He's not answering his phone either."

"Dean?" Sam asked.

"I didn't think anything of it until I got a voicemail," I continued. "It was covered in static but it warned me. It was almost as if he knew I was coming to you guys. He told me we all had to be careful we're all in danger."

"Where are you going with this?" Sam asked.

"I need your help."

"We can't," Aiden said. "Dean it's around finals."

"In two years I didn't bother you, never asked you for a thing," I hissed. "But right now you're baby sister is missing. She needs you guys are you really going to turn your back on her?"

"Dean," Sam sighed.

"She could die, Sammy," I whispered. "You really want your last memory of her to be of you two fighting?"

"That's not fair," Sam hissed. "What if she just ran off, Dean? And bring her back to you only for us to come back. Do you want to put her through that again?"

"And would you rather chance never seeing your sister again?" I retorted sharply. "Wow, Sam, you really are a selfish bastard."

I started to walk towards the front door, apparently having come all this way for nothing.

"Dean, wait!" Aiden called. "I'm coming with you."

I smirked Aiden was easy to guilt trip and now that Sam watched out for Aiden, wherever Aiden went so would Sam.

**Hailey's Point of View**

I knew that there was a lot that I had missed. A lot can happen in the month but my brothers weren't exactly being forthright with information. They were coddling me again, keeping things from me to try to protect me. It was obvious that I had missed something big and it was annoying that I was still out of the loop. I had been awake for a week and they still wouldn't tell me anything. Not why Sam and Aiden were suddenly here or what the demon did to me or even why I was in a coma for that long. Nope, nothing and any attempt to get those questions answered were dodged completely.

"Come on, Hails," Dean exclaimed. "You're free to go."

"They're letting me go?" I grinned.

"Yup," Dean responded throwing me some of my clothes.

I caught them and started changing anxious to get out of this hospital. Even though, hospital trips were rare they still made me uncomfortable and to know I was unconscious in one for an entire month just sent shivers down my spine. When we got outside Aiden and Sam were waiting by the impala. I shot a confused glance at Dean but he pointedly ignored me as he wheeled me to the back seat. Aiden opened the door and before I could move myself, Sam had scooped me up and placed me gently in the backseat. I huffed and crossed my arms I wasn't two, I could sit down in the impala without anyone's help.

The life of a hunter was far from routine; we traveled all over the continental United States. We had friends and allies all over the country. Daniel Elkins was in Manning, Colorado. Missouri, a psychic contact of Dad's was still in Lawrence, Kansas. Ellen and Jo Harvelle had a roadhouse in Nebraska, which was very hunter friendly. There was also one of Dad's best friends, Pastor Jim Murphy who runs a parish in Blue Moon, Minnesota. In addition to our friends, Dad had safe houses every couple states. They were far from where other people lived so if we ever had to vanish off the map we could.

"Dean, where are we going?" I asked.

"Harvelle's, Ellen called," Dean answered.

"What about Sam and Aiden?" I questioned. "Aren't they going back to school?"

"No," Aiden whispered.

"Why not?" I replied.

"It's not important," Sam sighed.

"Bullshit," I retorted.

"Hey," Dean warned. "Watch the mouth."

I rolled my eyes and leaned back into my seat. We had a little over a three hours drive until we got the roadhouse. Seeing as the conversation was apparently over before it even started I tried to get some sleep. It seemed as though Dean drove faster than usual to get us to the roadhouse. We all had rooms in the back that were reserved for us whenever we needed them. Ellen as well as Missouri stepped into the role of surrogate mother whenever we were stationary. It would be nice to actually get a home cooked meal for once.

"Come on, Hailey, we're here," Sam announced.

Aiden got out of the car and ran around to my side opening the door and attempting to help me out. I pushed him lightly backwards.

"I got it," I mumbled.

I heaved myself out of the car wincing as my ribs throbbed at the movement. I had just gotten out of the car when my legs betrayed me, giving out just as I closed the door. Aiden swooped and caught me from falling on my ass.

"You got it, huh?" Aiden teased maneuvering me so that he was carrying me bridal style.

"Just shut up," I muttered.

Aiden didn't say another word instead choosing to follow our brothers who had already grabbed all of the duffel bags from the trunk. They walked into the roadhouse and then Aiden did. I hid my face in Aiden's chest, blushing as I felt eyes land on me.

"Boys?" Ellen asked. I heard her come from around the bar and then I knew the exact moment she saw me. "Hailey? What the hell happened?"

"A demon kidnapped her," Dean answered. "She just got out of the hospital."

"Y'all need a place to stay?" Ellen now sounded even more concerned.

"Yeah," Sam answered. "Please."

"Aiden, please, put me down," I requested. "I think I'm okay."

"Don't push yourself, Hails," Aiden responded but placed me gently on my feet.

"Hi, Ellen," I grinned.

"Oh, baby," Ellen whispered.

If I had blinked, I would've missed Ellen quickly closing the distance between us and hugging me close. I had known Ellen since I was thirteen years old, when my father first met William Anthony Harvelle, Ellen's husband and Jo's father.

"I'm fine, Ellen," I sighed. "I promise."

Ellen nodded stiffly releasing me from her hold as she went over to Dean. I heard them talking furiously but the one thing I managed to understand was, "I told you she wasn't ready for this."

My stomach leapt into my throat as I fought down a wave of anger. It was no secret that Ellen wasn't a fan of hunting. It had taken her husband away from her and she fought tooth and nail to keep Jo and I out of it. However, it became obvious that the only person she actively had power over was Jo, which was why I was currently hunting while Jo sat on the sidelines. Despite Ellen not being my number one fan when it came to hunting, I thought she'd be a tad bit more supportive than that. I mean she had seen how hard I've worked for this. Training along side my brothers, learning Latin to the point where I could recite an exorcism rite from memory, being able to throw a knife further than my brothers. All of that took years of practice and I'd be damned to just sit around with my thumb up my ass.

My father had rules, of course. Dean's first kill was a werewolf when he was sixteen years old. Before then, he had only burned spirits remains or had done research. It was a rule that we weren't allowed to hunt until we were at least sixteen. But, being my father's only daughter carried some consequences. He was harder on me during training but fiercely protective of me, not wanting me to go on a hunt until I was one hundred percent ready. Hell, I learned how to fire a gun at least three years later than my brothers did, having learned when they were nine. I think that was the reason why I was so good with knives; they were the only things my father would let me carry. To say my family was wacked would be the understatement of the century.

"Hey, Ma, the new shipment is in," I heard the familiar voice of Jo Harvelle call.

"Okay, baby," Ellen replied.

"Hey, Jo," I smiled.

"Hailey," Jo smirked. "It's been a long time. Come on let's talk before this place picks back up."

"Yeah, I have a lot to tell you," I grinned.

"Looks like," Jo raised an eyebrow leading me towards the back bedrooms. "I hope the other guy looks worse off then you."

"Well, he's in hell so I guess I win," I laughed.

Jo blinked before smiling holding the door to her room open. I walked through it and made myself comfortable on her bed. Jo took her desk chair spinning it around so that she was straddling it. She looked at me critically before we began talking.

"You haven't missed much," Jo sighed. "Mom still won't let me hunt. Ash is being Ash, making some money on the side by putting hunting folders for people together. I made nearly five hundred dollars…"

"Hunters don't tip that well," I snorted.

"Yeah, well they can't play poker either." Jo grinned. "Anyways, spill. What are Aiden and Sam doing back? What happened to your face? Where's you Dad?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I snickered. "One question at a time. I don't know what Sam and Aiden are doing back, I'm assuming Dean went to get them at school when I went missing but they're still here, which is why I'm at a loss. Dad's currently MIA. And I've been in a coma for a month and no one is filling in the holes of what happened between then and now."

"A coma?" Jo gasped. "Shit, Hailey!"

"A demon kidnapped me," I shrugged. "It beat me and carved me up some. I exorcised it and the next thing I know I'm in the hospital and no one is telling me anything. Sometimes I really hate being the youngest."

"Yeah, I can imagine," Jo responded. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too," sighed. "I just wish I knew what was going on around here. Dean said that your Mom had something for us or she called or something?"

"No, she didn't," Jo answered. "At least I don't think so. We haven't gotten wind of anything and John hasn't been in at all."

"See?" I demanded. "That's what I mean. There is something big going down and once again you and I aren't being included and now they're lying to me!"


	2. Waking the Demon

**Chapter Two: Waking the Demon**

"_You ever wonder how long it takes to change your life? What measure of time is enough to be life altering? Is it four years, like high school? One year? Can your life change in a month, a week, or a single day? We're always in a hurry to grow up, to go places to get ahead. But when you're young, one hour can change everything."_

Recovering from any injury sucked. But recovering from being in a coma sucked so much worse. I had to get use to walking again and breathing on my own because Aiden had a let it slip that I was on a ventilator for a few weeks until my lungs were strong enough to breathe without assistance. My brothers' still weren't being forthcoming with any information and I was getting desperate. They'd kill me but if they didn't tell me, what was going on I was going to find someone who could.

Ash Teller was another person who lived in the Roadhouse. I didn't know much about his past but he had been there as long as I could remember. Ash was smart, not that you'd believe me with him rocking the mullet. Ash got into MIT but was thrown out because he got into a fight with someone. He didn't really talk about it. He was one of the best hackers I had met, even surpassing Aiden in skill level. And since Aiden was keeping as quiet as our older brothers in refusing to answer my questions, Ash was my only hope.

"Ash!" I shouted knocking on his door.

"Little Winchester," Ash greeted. "What brings you to my door at two in the morning?"

"I need to talk to you," I responded.

"Well, then, I guess I need to put on pants," Ash replied.

I rolled my eyes before shutting them to prevent me from seeing anything that I didn't want to see. Two minutes later Ash joined me out of the main bar carrying his computer, the one that he built by himself, under his arm.

"What do you need to know?" Ash asked.

"Where's my father?" I asked. "And what aren't my brothers telling me? I know you know, Ash."

"God, Hailey," Ash sighed. "I can't tell you any of that."

"Please, Ash," I whispered. "I need to know. They can't keep stuff like that from me. What's bad enough to keep Sam and Aiden from going back to school?"

"Hails," Ash groaned. "Your brother's would flay the skin off my bones."

"They will never find out you told me," I pleaded. "Come on, Ash, something big happened this is driving me crazy!"

Ash sighed looking anywhere but at me. I could tell by his reluctance that it was something huge. Either that or he was remembering the last time he told me something that my brothers were keeping from me. That didn't end well for anyone. Luckily, Ash didn't see my wince otherwise, he probably would've backed out immediately.

"Hailey, your father's missing," Ash stated. "None of his old phones worked. No contact has seen him in weeks. But, Dean got a message from him while you were in a coma saying that you were all in danger and to be careful. That was the last anyone heard from him. He's fallen off the grid completely."

"Wonderful," I muttered "So, Sam and Aiden came back to look for Dad?"

"That's what they told me," Ash shrugged. "There's something else but they're not talking about it."

"Thanks Ash, you rock," I smiled

"Yeah, and if you confront them they'll never find me," Ash groaned.

"Chill out," I replied. "They'll never know."

Ash shook his head grumbling under his breath has he made his way into the kitchen. I got up and stumbled slightly as my body fought a wave of dizziness. I limped my way over towards the hallway where all the bedrooms were when I was suddenly pinned against the wall. I could know longer hear Ash banging around in the kitchen or the comforting snores of my brothers. All was quiet and it wasn't a good kind of quiet either. It suddenly felt as if someone was trying to rip out my insides and my knees buckled under the onslaught.

"Hailey," A dark voice hissed. "You're nearly there."

And just as quickly as the pain began, it stopped, leaving me panting. I crawled to the nearest support and heaved myself into a standing position. I had been hearing that same voice enough in the past couple of months to know that if I was nearly anything, it definitely wasn't near to anything good.

"Hails, what are you doing up?" Aiden asked coming from the hallway and looking at me curiously. "You know Dean said you need as much sleep as you can get."

"I was in a coma for a month," I grumbled. "I'm just fine on sleep."

"Hailey," Aiden reproached softly.

"I couldn't sleep, Aiden," I sighed.

"Why not?" Aiden questioned. "Are you having nightmares again?"

"No," I retorted.

Aiden gave me a look that said in no uncertain terms that he didn't believe me, but I really couldn't care less. Things had been somewhat shaky ever since Sam and Aiden rejoined us, unbeknownst to me at the time, looking for our father. But still it had been a very long time and Dean and I functioned in a completely different synchronicity then when it was the four of us. It would take longer for things to get back to the way things use to be, there was some bad blood that existed, and we all had to get adjusted to each other again, which wasn't going to be easy if people kept secrets. Granted, I really couldn't be talking I have yet to be forthright with the fact that I had been hearing the same creepy voice for the past few months, and I had thrown a demon across the room without lifting a finger. We all were guilty at trying to protect one another. But, I couldn't help but think that my secret was a lot worse then anything my brothers could hide.

"Hailey, you need to get some sleep," Aiden muttered.

"I'm fine," I responded.

"Then do it for self-preservation," Aiden replied. "Dean'll be pissed if he finds you up and moving when everyone's asleep.

I frowned before allowing Aiden to lead me back to my room. Dean always got a tad hyper when one of us was injured. He was worse then a some people's parent when it came to hovering. Dean was especially nuts during recuperation, which was what I supposively doing. Us being stuck here wasn't going to find Dad any faster and the longer we stayed here the colder the trail would get.

The next morning was when things exploded. I had only slept maybe another hour and as I limped into the main room things just felt weird. I spotted my brothers sitting around a table and none of them looked particularly happy.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Nothing," Dean muttered.

"Bullshit," I retorted. "Why don't you guys tell me what's going on so that we can get out of here."

"Nothing is going on," Sam replied.

"Yeah, so you two decided you wanted to get back in the family business for no apparent reason?" I asked. "And the fact that we haven't heard from Dad at all has nothing to do with that, would it?"

"Who told you that?" Dean hissed.

"No one had too," I retorted. "You think I'm an idiot? I know when something doesn't add up and this situation doesn't make any sense."

"Hailey," Sam sighed.

"No, why don't you guys start talking," I grumbled. "I'm not a little kid. I can help."

"Dean?" Sam asked.

"Okay, fine," Dean growled. "Dad's missing and the last thing he told me was that we were all in danger and then he just fell of the map."

"Then why are we here?" I asked. "The trail's only going to get colder."

"You need to get better," Aiden said.

"I'm fine," I snapped.

"You're still limping," Sam stated.

"So what?" I replied. "We can still try to find him, start hunting again."

"Hailey, no," Dean snapped.

"Dean, Dad's missing you said it yourself he said we're all in danger that includes him. We're all together and he's all alone."

Dean, Sam, and Aiden looked at each other considering what I had just said. They seemed to come to an understanding fairly quickly.

"We'll leave tomorrow," Dean said. "But you're not hunting until you're one hundred percent. Do you understand me?"

"Yeah," I shrugged.

I grinned in triumph before walking towards the kitchen to get me something to eat. I grabbed an orange and went to sit at the bar. It was still pretty quiet in the Roadhouse, people won't really start showing up until three or four and then they wouldn't leave until one in the morning. The roadhouse was a haven for hunters, Ash found jobs for people, Ellen kept the police scanner running at all hours so that we'd have an idea of what was going on at all times. It kept everyone feeling safe and sound, not that the police ever raided the Roadhouse, they just thought it was a bar.

I was on my computer researching jobs when the front door opened. I glanced toward the door and was surprised to see someone I didn't know coming into the building. The first thing I noticed was that he was tall, taller than Sammy even. As he glanced around the room, I saw that he had green eyes and shaggy brown hair. He looked to be about my age maybe a little bit older. But the weirdest thing was the fact that I felt like I had met him before even though this was the first time I had seen him.

Our eyes looked and the hair on my arms stood up on end. He smirked, as I looked surprised then winked at me. Where had I seen this guy before? Ellen came out of the back room holding a box of beer and then glanced at the guy.

"Trevor, good to see you," Ellen greeted.

"Trevor?" I thought. "Trevor Moore."

Now I was officially freaked out as I watched Trevor carry on a conversation with Ellen because up until now I thought that Trevor was only a figment of my dreams, something I made up while I was in a coma. As I caught Trevor's eyes once more, I couldn't tell if I had imagined that I had seen him before or the feeling I felt was true: that we knew each other a lot better than I could ever really fathom.

"What's with you?" Aiden asked. "Looks like you've seen a ghost."

"Maybe," I mumbled.

I didn't catch Aiden's bewildered look as I wandered out of the roadhouse going towards the cellar where I knew that Jo would be. She had been taking inventory since we had gotten here and she was nearly always in that cellar.

"Hailey," A voice called. It wasn't any of my brothers but I recognized it all the same.

"Trevor," I whispered.

"You do remember?" Trevor smiled.

"No," I responded. "I just have déjà vu."

"Give it time," Trevor shrugged. "You'll figure it all out eventually."

I gave him a weird look but he seemed unperturbed turning around and going back in the direction, he had come from. I moved towards the cellar running down the stairs.

"Jo!" I shouted.

"Shit," She yelped jumping away from an open beer. "You scared the crap out of me, Winchester."

I smiled with a knowing look on my face.

"Dipping into the stock again?" I laughed.

"Yeah," Joe shrugged. "I've been working for days and I don't get paid for this."

"I understand," I replied. "Just teasing."

"What's up?" Jo asked. "You seem freaked."

"Do you know anything about Trevor Moore?" I asked.

"Trevor's a hunter," Jo responded. "Same as you. Why?"

"Nothing there is something off about him that's all," I muttered.

"Are you feeling okay?" Jo asked. "Do you want me to get Dean?"

"I'm fine, Jo," I grumbled. "I just…I don't know. Weird stuff is starting to happen, like weirder than normal."

"Wow," Jo said.

I sighed and slumped against the wall. Normal to me wasn't really normal and it wasn't often that I had been thrown for a loop. But if ever I had been thrown, it was now. My father was suddenly missing. The kid that I had dreamt about when I was comatose was suddenly flesh and blood and I had been hearing things. Well, not things just something saying my name. I wished that I had someone who understood but I knew there wasn't any one who would. Dean never trusted people that were psychics. He thought they were freaks and maybe that was what I was a freak who could move people without lifting a finger.

"That's not the only thing you can do, kiddo," The voice hissed. This time the voice sounded less sinister and more amused, perhaps laughing as my naiveté.

"Hails?" Jo asked.

She moved to forward when I rocked forward. Jo lunged catching me before I fell to the ground.

"Hailey?" Jo asked laying me down gently. "Hails? Hailey? Come on, wake up!" She tapped my face, trying to get me to wake up. She squeaked nervously before running out of the cellar screaming, "DEAN!"


	3. My Fist, Your Mouth, and Her Scars

**Chapter Three:** **My Fist, Your Mouth, and Her Scars**

"_Sometimes you just feel everything and nothing at once. Sometimes you'll find yourself smiling while missing something at the same time. At times you can absolutely love a person, all the while wanting to hate them. Life comes without guarantees. Except smiling will brighten your face, laughing will enhance your eyes, and falling in love will change your life."_

"_Where the hell am I?" I groaned._

"_You're not in Kansas anymore," A voice laughed. "I love how that works literally and figuratively, Hailey."_

"_Who are you?" I growled straightening up quickly._

"_That's not important," The man replied. "But if you must know my name is Azazel."_

"_Where am I?" I growled._

"_You're still in Nebraska, you're just taking a little nap," Azazel shrugged._

"_You!" I shouted. "You're the voice who has been taunting me for months!"_

"_Oh, not just you, sweetheart," Azazel laughed. "I have others like you as well."_

"_You know what I am," I whispered._

"_I made you into what you are," Azazel smiled. "You and all the children like you."_

"_What do you mean, like me?" I demanded._

"_Special," Azazel replied. "Gifted, talented. Take your pick, kiddo."_

"_Let me go," I ordered._

"_No, can do, sweetheart," Azazel scolded. _

"_What do you want?" I hissed._

"_It's not what I want, it's what I need," Azazel corrected._

_That was when he finally came into my line of sight. I choked on a gasp as I took in his appearance. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except for his glowing yellow-eyes. _

"_You're a demon." I stated._

_And not like any demon, I had ever seen. Most demons had black eyes but as I talked more and more to the thing that called itself Azazel, I had the sudden realization that the demons my family and I had been fighting had been at a lower level then to whatever he was._

"_I'm guessing you're the observant one," Azazel rolled his eyes._

"_What is it that you need?" I asked._

"_Oh, I can't give away the big punch line," Azazel responded. "But you'll know when the time is right. At least one of the Winchesters will."_

"_What are you talking about?" I demanded._

"_You and Sam have a lot more in common than you think," Azazel stated._

"_Leave him alone!" I shouted._

"_Oh, naïve little Winchester," Azazel laughed. "He was my favorite way before you were even in the picture."_

"_You fucking bastard," I growled._

"_Temper, temper, Hailey, you need to be patient," Azazel suggested. "You will understand everything soon enough."_

"Hailey!" Dean shouted. "Hailey! Wake up, Hails!"

"Stop shouting at me," I slurred.

"Never scare me like that again," Jo growled.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"Come on, you're going to bed, now," Dean ordered.

"Dean, it's in the middle of the afternoon," I mumbled.

"It wasn't a suggestion," Dean snapped.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. Figures I would faint and then bring out authoritative mother-henning Dean. It would now take forever to convince Dean that I was ready to start hunting again. Right now, I knew it would be a waste of breath, literally. I couldn't run very well and I still walked with a limp. It was so frustrating not being able to do anything that I was use to doing.

Sam and Aiden helped me up and helped me get up I grunted as my ribs protested. Sam jerked to a stop green eyes suddenly piercing into my own.

"Hay?" Sam whispered. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I sighed.

Sam shot a look at Aiden, as I kept looking Sam. Demons lied to mess with you but if they knew that the truth would be worse, well then they'd say every truthful thing they knew. Did that mean that Sam was having the same problems I was? I felt Sam and Aiden's grip on my biceps as they literally half-carried me to my room.

"Hails, sleep," Aiden pleaded.

I rolled my eyes and laid down on my bed waiting until they had closed the door for me to get up. I was walking towards my laptop when a hand suddenly wrapped around my mouth as an arm swung around my waist pulling flush against a warm, muscled body.

"Don't scream," The voice cautioned.

"Trevor?" I gasped when he finally removed his hand. I spun in his arm and shoved him backwards so that he flopped on my bed.

"Wow," Trevor smirked. "Feisty."

"What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"Shhh," Trevor pleaded. "I need to talk to you."

"Well?" I muttered. "First you start asking me if I remember shit. Then you suddenly appear in my fucking room. What is it that you want?"

"I know that Azazel talked to you," Trevor said.

"What?" I gasped.

Before Trevor could blink, I had pulled a gun on him and turned the safety off.

"Jesus!" Trevor grunted. "What the hell?"

"What are you?" I hissed. "Demon? Christo!"

Trevor just looked at me. Damn, he wasn't a demon. I sighed and lowered my gun. And then I remembered Azazel's words.

"_I made you into what you are," Azazel smiled. "You and all the children like you."_

"You!" I gasped. "You and I we're…"

"One in the same," Trevor completed. "Except you are apparently telekinetic. I'm pyrokinetic. From everything I've gathered we all get different abilities."

"So, you're the human torch?" I asked.

"Naw, he's more cocky," Trevor smirked. "I back it up."

Trevor had gotten up off my bed and had backed me against the wall. The height differences were obvious the closer Trevor got. I tried to reflect him back but it didn't work.

"The abilities normally don't work on each other," Trevor smirked. "Trying to keep me away, Hails?"

"I'm not afraid of you," I scoffed.

"Then prove it," Trevor taunted.

I smirked before wrapping my arms around his neck effectively pulling him down to my height and kissing him firmly on the lips. I could feel him smiling through the kiss as his hand slipped around my back and traveling down until I felt his hands grab my ass as my legs wrapped around his waist. He and pull me up so that we were at level. I unwrapped one of my arms and ran my hands through his hair. He broke the connection between us first. I gasped for air and then moaned as Trevor started kissing the sensitive's skin at the base of my neck. I pushed him away gently and he let me go so that I was standing on my own two feet again. I sighed as Trevor smiled.

"What's wrong?" Trevor asked.

"I just met you a few hours ago," I responded. "I was raised better than that."

"We've actually known each other for roughly about a month." Trevor corrected.

"So, all those conversations we had they were all real?" I questioned.

"Yes," Trevor stated. "Every single thing we talked about it was all true."

"Then you're smooth," I teased.

"What are you talking about, Winchester?" Trevor asked.

"Asking out a girl that's stuck in a coma?" I scoffed. "Smooth."

"That demon trashed you," Trevor whistled. "That's the trigger. You're abilities were dormant until you nearly died and then they protected you. Before it had only happened randomly when one emotion was to strong."

"How'd you find me?" I asked.

"I worked at the hospital where you were taken in," Trevor shrugged. "I felt a instant connection to you and that night I was sucked into one of your dreams."

"I know, I remember," I sighed. "I remember from what you told me about Azazel, our abilities, our first date."

"We were still dating when you woke up," Trevor smiled. Trevor leaned down and kissed me softly.

"You have to get outta here," I replied. "My brothers find you in here they'll kill you."

"They are rather protective," Trevor laughed.

"I know," I rolled my eyes.

"You're going to have to tell the about everything eventually, Hails," Trevor whispered.

"No, Trevor you don't understand," I replied. "Dean especially doesn't see shades of gray you're either human or you're not, and this what we can do, it's not human."

"Hailey," Trevor whispered.

"I can't," I pleaded. "Trevor, I don't want him to look at me like I'm some sort of freak."

"It's all going to be okay," Trevor soothed wrapping his long arms around me. "I swear."

"Yeah," I muttered.

Somehow, I knew that there was something bad about to go down and nothing was going to be okay. Hell, nothing was okay. I didn't know where my father was, my brothers and I were keeping secrets and, oh, right, I forgot, I'm some sort of psychic freak! Yeah, everything was just fucking peachy.

"You need to get some rest," Trevor announced.

"What?" I groaned. "Come on, Trev, not you too."

"Your abilities will be a sporadic if you don't get enough rest," Trevor stated. "And if you want this to be secret then I'd be making sure that you do."

"Fine," I sighed.

"I'll see you later, Hails," Trevor laughed kissing me one more time before leaving through my window.

I grinned to myself as I settled into bed. I loved dating another hunter because there were no secrets. That and he knew how to defend himself against demons and other supernatural evil. And even regular people, like my brothers once they found out that I had a boyfriend. He also knew how to climb in and out of windows.

As I fell back asleep, I realized that tomorrow we'd be leaving the roadhouse to look for my father. I sighed realizing that John Winchester was a legend onto himself. If he didn't want to be found, which he obviously didn't then he wouldn't at least in most circumstances. I'd like to think the odds were even if the protégés were searching for the master.

The next morning came way earlier than I expected with Dean pounding on my door saying we were leaving in thirty. I muttered under my breath when I saw that it was only five thirty in the morning. God, what the hell was wrong with them? I packed up and walked outside dropping my duffel bag in the back of impala.

I looked around and saw that Trevor was coming out of one of the trailers that Ellen and Jo kept on their property. He moved quickly swooping me off my feet and kissing me firmly. I kissed him back with equal passion. He grinned setting me back on my feet.

"You guys heading out?" Trevor asked.

"Yeah, looking for our Dad," I answered.

"He'll show up," Trevor stated.

"I know, he can't hide forever especially from his freaking kids," I grumbled.

"Hey, you call, and I'll be there," Trevor whispered kissing me again. "I promise."

"Who are you?" Dean shouted as he, Sam, and Aiden came out of the bar.

"I'm Trevor Moore," Trevor introduced himself shaking each one of my brothers hand. "I'm a hunter too."

"What were you and my sister talking about?" Dean demanded.

"Dean!" I scolded.

"I was just asking her a question," Trevor shrugged.

"That better be all you were doing," Aiden muttered looking Trevor up and down.

"Aiden!" I snapped.

Aiden glared at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Trevor," I said sliding into the back seat of the car. "Guys, let's go!"

I heard Dean mutter something to Sam and Aiden as they all got into the car. Dean floored the engine and we gunned it out of the Roadhouse's parking lot. I sent a quick text to Trevor apologizing for my brother's behavior. He responded nearly instantly saying that he was a big boy and he could take care of himself.

I sighed and opened the computer. I had no idea where we were going but it was going to be interesting to see how this particular road trip would be. I use to spending hours sitting in he impala, Sam and Aiden were no longer use to it, which meant that it would take them a while to get back into the swing of things.

I tried hacking into every file my Dad owned. Fake credit cards, real bank accounts, fake insurance, license plates, the make of his truck the whole nine yards but there weren't any flags. I growled under my breath. Finding Dad would be like finding a needle in a hay country, next to impossible.


	4. Disaster’s in the Air

**Chapter Four: Disaster's in the Air**

"_The thing about blood, family, it's always there. You can hate each other, you can want to kill each other but you never stop loving each other"_

It had been nearly two months since my coma and Dad's disappearance and nothing had happened. I was back to normal but Dad was still missing. Aiden and Sam were getting back into the swing of things. It was obvious that Dean had no idea where to look. When Dad fell off the grid, he had already been off the grid. He had a hunt in Jericho, California that he finished and then he disappeared. He was supposed to meet someone in Nevada two days after the hunt but he never showed up.

All I know is that I was going insane. I may have thought that I was one hundred percent but I wasn't the one who decided whether or not I can actually start hunting again. That would be Dean's jurisdiction and he was being a stubborn bastard about it.

"Hey!" Dean shouted. "You paying attention?"

"To what?" I grumbled. "You saying the same exact thing you've said before you three ditch me? No, not really."

"Hey, watch the attitude, Hailey," Dean warned.

"I already know the drill, lock the door, close the blinds, don't answer the door, salt the room," I rolled my eyes. "I know that despite my assurances that I'm fine you're still going to take the two people who are out of their element."

"You were in a coma!" Aiden snapped. "We just went to college."

"And we kept up with training," Sam shrugged.

"Yeah?" I scoffed. "I was out for a month! I'm fine. You two were gone for years!"

"This isn't up for discussion, Hails," Sam snapped.

I crossed my arms and flopped down on my bed. Aiden, Sam, and Dean were all carrying duffel bags and once again, I was getting stuck in a hotel for however long it took them to finish the monster of the week.

"Cut the sullen teenager act, Hails," Dean responded.

"I'm going stir crazy," I mumbled.

"Soon is what I told you," Dean said. "You'll be hunting again soon."

Before Dean and I could argue further Sam had opened the front door and said that they had a schedule to keep. I glared at the door as it shut firmly behind me. Not even a half hour went by before I heard knocking on the motel room door. I looked through the peephole and then flung open the door dragging the person waiting on the outside inside. He didn't even get to respond before I shoved him back down on the bed and climbed on top of him.

"Well, hello to you too, Hails," Trevor laughed.

"You've been following us since we left Nevada," I accused.

"Not much gets by you," Trevor smirked.

"You're lucky my brothers didn't notice either," I responded. "They don't take kindly to being followed."

"And yet it's perfectly okay to ditch you in a hotel room?" Trevor growled.

"I'm perfectly fine here," I sighed. "I'm just going stir crazy. I'm fine again. No limp, no nothing and Dean refuses to let me come."

"He doesn't want you disappearing again," Trevor shrugged. "Can't say I blame him."

"Trevor," I groaned.

"He was absolutely frantic when you were gone," Trevor replied. "And then the message you're father left didn't really soothe his nerves."

"I don't want to hear about this, Trev," I warned.

"Hails," Trevor grumbled getting up after me. "I don't want to pick a fight."

"Yeah?" I scoffed.

"Yeah," Trevor sighed putting a hand on either side of my head so that I was effectively trapped in a corner. "You don't see the dynamic your family has. Dean's the protector, you're the baby, Sam is the lawyer, and Aiden's a genius. When one of you is gone it throws the three of you out of whack. And when Sam and Aiden went to school it left a whole so big that none of you could deal. Just when Dean thought he was doing better a demon takes you and he has no idea where you are. He goes and gets Aiden and Sam under your father's orders thereby giving him enough time to fall off the grid. You might be the glue that keeps this family running more often then not but it was your father who started all of you on this track. You're bound by it whether you like it or not."

"How can you know so much?" I asked.

"When one can get sucked into dreams it becomes very easy to know nearly everything there is to know about that person," Trevor responded. "And it's really easy to see the family dynamic when the four of you are together."

"You always dream walk into girl's dreams?" I questioned.

"Not really," Trevor answered. "It isn't often that I get pulled into a dream with such ferocious that I was pulled into yours. And before you ask of course I like you, Hailey Winchester."

I smiled softly before reaching up to kiss him. Trevor groaned removing his arms from the wall and picking me up so that we were nearly equal in height. One of my hands wrapped itself into his hair while the other rested on his shoulder feeling the solid strength there. I felt Trevor's hands move to cradle my ass as my legs wrapped around his muscled torso. My back was leaning against the wall as he kept us vertical. When the need for oxygen arose, I pulled away, moaning as Trevor began to kiss his way from the corner of my jaw down to my neck. Suddenly he bit down hard at the base of my neck before licking at the bite.

"Trevor, I need…" I panted trailing off as Trevor moved us from the wall towards the bed.

He laid me down gently before pulling off his sweatshirt. We locked eyes as I pulled off my tank top. I dropped it to the ground as Trevor moved to the bed and kissing me passionately. His tongue slipped into my mouth as I moaned. I felt his hand creep down and unbutton the top of my jeans. The rough denim slid down my legs along with my panties. He pulled them off my legs completely as I looked at him. Trevor pushed some of his hair back as I got up on my knees. I wrapped my fingers around the waistband of his boxers. I pulled them down slowly and he kicked them off he grabbed a condom from his wallet and quickly put it on before dropping back onto the bed. He climbed in between my legs and I felt him poised at my entrance. I pulled him down on top of me kissing him hard enough to bruise as he eased in for the first time. I gasped at the new sensations as my legs wrapped around his waist again.

An hour later, I was wrapped up in Trevor's arms leaning against his chest. I listened to the steady beating of his heart, and for once, I wasn't bored out of my mind. I hadn't seen Trevor in weeks and I don't know how he had managed to track us down.

"You know so much about me and I feel like I don't know anything about you," I whispered.

"What do you want to know?" Trevor asked.

"Everything," I responded. "You seem to know everything there is to know about me and my family."

"Well, I was born in Montclair, New Jersey. I'm an only child and the same demon killed my mother. I was already born into a hunting family but the demon is powerful, way more powerful than my father realized. He blamed himself for my mother's death. He died seven years ago trying to summon the fucking thing."

"You know it's a demon?" I asked.

"Yes, Azazel is a demon," Trevor stated.

"I'll be right back," I muttered.

"Hailey," Trevor protested grabbing my wrist as I slipped out of bed.

"Just let me go, Trevor," I ordered.

He let go of my wrist looking more than slightly hurt as I rushed toward the bathroom. I closed and locked the door before falling against it, resting on the floor. There was a growing list of things that I couldn't tell my brothers. I was a telekinetic freak, Sam might be one too, and I had a boyfriend who is pyrokinetic and likes to dream walk. I had been visited and stalked by the demon that had killed our mother. I also now knew that the friggin thing was a demon. How the fuck did, things get so complicated so quickly? I couldn't tell them one thing without owning up to everything. And, yet I had a nagging feeling that Dad already knew a demon was behind Mom's death, which is why he had fallen off the radar, he was closing in.

"Hailey?" Trevor asked knocking the door. "Come on, baby, let me in."

I sighed and backed away from the door unlocking it in the same process. Trevor then opened and closed the door behind him as he crouched down across from me.

"Things got so fucked up," I groaned.

"Which is why you have to tell your brothers," Trevor prompted.

"You don't understand, Trev," I replied. "They'll never look at me the same way again."

"They love you," Trevor stated firmly. "Nothing is going to change that. You understand?"

"You don't know that!" I shouted. "You don't. Everything is different now."

"Some things will stay the same," Trevor responded.

"I've lied to them to many times, they won't trust me anymore," I whispered.

"They've been lying to you too," Trevor retorted.

"It's not going to matter I'm the youngest," I shrugged. "From their point of view their lies are protecting me."

"And yours is protecting them," Trevor sighed. "Look, I'm not saying that this will be a nice, calm discussion because it won't. You'll all be shouting at each other but they need to know everything."

Suddenly my phone began to ring from the next room. I sighed and opened the door grabbing it off the nightstand.

"What?" I demanded.

"Hailey," A gruff, familiar voice growled.

"Dad?" I gasped.

"I don't know what you think you're doing, young lady, but it stops right now, do you understand me?" Dad hissed.

"You're a hypocrite," I snarled. I heard my father begin to growl out a response to my insubordination but I forged on. "You know exactly what killed mom and you fell of the fucking grid to hunt the damn thing."

"How did you know it was a demon?" Dad snapped.

"Gee, Dad, I don't know," I scoffed. "Maybe it's because I'm a good hunter. Raised by one of the best."

"Hailey, it's dangerous," Dad sighed.

I could picture Dad pinching the bridge of his nose before wiping a hand down his face.

"Dad, I…"

"Be quiet, Hailey Jade and listen closely," Dad ordered in his firm Do-as-I-say-or-else tone. I was irked to admit that it still worked despite him not being in the same room as I was probably not even in the same state.

"Fine," I muttered.

"Do you know everything?" Dad asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied.

"Do not lie to me, Hailey Jade," Dad growled.

"What would I know, Dad?" I asked

"Okay," Dad grumbled. "You want to play that game? You probably know what killed your mother and you figured out why I dropped off the map. You've noticed that weird stuff, weird even for our family has been happening."

"Dad?" I whispered.

"Just tell me, Hailey," Dad prodded.

"I know that it was a demon. I know that you're probably hunting it at this moment and last month when I was kidnapped I threw the demon that took me against the wall while I was still tied to the chair. Dad what's going on?"

"I don't know, Hailey," Dad whispered. "But I do know is that you're not going to tell your brothers."

"Sir?" I asked.

"Do not tell your brothers," Dad ordered. "Not yet."

"Dad you're not telling me to lie to them, are you?" I questioned.

"I'm not telling you not to do anything you weren't already planning on doing," Dad responded. "Isn't that right?"

"Yes, sir," I sighed.

"Do not tell them about this call," Dad commanded.

"Of course, sir," I muttered.

"I love you, Hailey," Dad whispered.

"I love you too, Dad, stay safe," I sighed.

I hung up the phone and deleted the most recent call just incase one of my brothers went snooping on my phone. I collapsed on my bed confused at what my father had told me what to do. Dean was his second in command and it was rare as in this-has-never-ever-happened-before that I knew something about Dad that my brothers had no inkling of and I was ordered not to tell them. Honestly, Dad was lucky that they had taught me how to lie because the lies that I had to keep track of seemed to be growing by the second. And the worst part was that there was only a matter of time before they all came spewing out, burying me in the process.

"Hailey, what is going on?" Trevor asked. From the tone in his voice, it sounded like he had asked more than once.

"My life is getting more and more complicated every single day." I growled.

"That was your Dad on the phone?" Trevor prompted.

"Yeah, he's alive," I whispered.

"Call Dean," Trevor exclaimed.

"I can't he said not to tell them," I replied.

"Hailey, they're your brothers," Trevor reproached.

"Yeah and he's my father, Trevor and when John Winchester gives you an order you listen to it." I snapped.

"Really?" Trevor raised an eyebrow. "Because you have more loyalty to your father than you do to Dean?"

"You've never seen the way he treats people that are different, Trevor," I growled. "Like the psychics, people like us? He thinks we should be hunted to, he doesn't trust us."

"Us?" Trevor growled. "Last time I checked we were both still human, Hails."

"Yeah, well, you didn't see his face," I grumbled.

"When?" Trevor asked.

"It was a few years ago, Sam and Aiden were in school…"

_The impala rumbled as Dean floored the engine slightly. We were driving from Colorado all the way to Texas to see a clairvoyant that Dad told us we should check out to make sure she wasn't crooked, meaning dabbling in the dark arts as there had been a few mysterious disappearances happening around the area. I sighed as I rested in the back of the impala. We were once again in between credit cards and that meant that we had been sleeping in the impala for the past three nights in a row._

_Tension was at an all time high while patience was at an all time low. Without Aiden and Sam to act as buffers, Dean and I fought over the smallest things. He thought that a fifteen year old was too young to be hunting let alone watching his back. He had voiced that exact sentiment a few times after we had a knockdown drag 'em out fight. And it was enough to leave the both of us with sour tastes in our mouths._

_I personally wanted to meet the clairvoyant and talk to her before we started passing judgments. But Dean already thought she was guilty without even meeting her. I never did understand why everything was so black and white with Dean and Dad. Sure, some things were evil and other things were good, pure but they never saw anything or anyone as being in the middle. You were either good or you were bad and had to be taken out._

_By the time we got to Dallas, Texas, Dean and I were at each other's throats. I stormed after Dean as he slammed the driver's door to the impala and basically ran up the stairs to the mediums, Natasha Colson's house and began pounding on the door._

"_Hello, Dean," Natasha greeted coolly upon opening the door. "Hello Hailey."_

"_Hey," Dean and I replied together._

"_Um, the Winchester family, or part of the Winchester family, I was wondering when I was going to meet you."_

"_You've heard of us?" I asked ignoring Dean's firm shut up look. _

"_Of course," Natasha scoffed. "Who hasn't heard of the Winchester family?"_

_I smirked knowing that she was impressed with our family or at least my brothers. But when I looked at Dean, he looked even more untrusting._

"_If you're wondering what is going on with the disappearances I can assure you that it wasn't me," Natasha replied as Dean glared at her._

"_And we're supposed to trust you?" Dean growled lowly._

"_Why would I have any reason to lie?" Natasha asked seriously._

"_So we don't kill you," Dean responded._

"_You're not going to kill me, Dean Winchester," Natasha stated. "I know somewhere that you would never harm an innocent person even if you did think that there is something not right about me."_

_Dean looked like he was going to say something but Natasha interrupted._

"_Please, Dean, don't belittle both my intelligence and my abilities," Natasha scolded. "I'm clairvoyant. I personally think that I'm the least dangerous people around. Just ask Missouri, I am her protégé after all."_

"_What?" Dean gasped._

"But that didn't end badly, did it?" Trevor asked. "I mean Tasha is one of your closest friends."

"You should still see the way Dean looks at her sometimes," I frowned. "And you weren't there at the time, Trev. There was something in Dean, something that told him not to trust Natasha no matter what. It took nearly two hours of convincing before he would even let her near me."

"Like he isn't that protective with you normally," Trevor scoffed.

"It was different, Trev, you could tell," I sighed. "Just trust me. What Dad said…what I'm doing, it's for the best."

"Until it all blows up in your face," Trevor warned.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"It's a dangerous slope, Hails," Trevor stated.

"They're keeping stuff from me too, they can't really get that angry," I responded.

Of course, I knew that what I had just said had no basis. They were going to get angry, there was no one doubting that. But, I think we all had a reason to be upset with one another. We were all hiding secrets and it was only a matter of time before everyone knew what was what. Although, I would make sure that they wouldn't know about my abilities not until they had too. I didn't want them treating me different. Not the way they treated Tasha. I just wanted things to be normal, well normal for us. Yet, I had a sinking feeling that nothing was going to be the way it use to be ever again.


	5. Forged by Fire

**Chapter Five: Forged by Fire**

"_Forgot the risk, take the fall. If it's meant to be...It's worth it all."_

**Nobody's Point of View**

Being clairvoyant had its definite perks. For one, Natasha Colson wasn't taken by surprise more often than not. Her visions were coming on a more frequent basis and they were making her nervous. Twenty year old, Natasha was not one to scare easy but these visions were filled with blood, pain, and agony. The screams of her closest friend in the world, Hailey Winchester filled her ears once more and she visibly recoiled. Reminding herself that visions could change she took a calming breathe as she padded to her kitchen.

It looked like it would be another sleepless night for Natasha. The young girl's brows knitted over hazel eyes as she put a teakettle on the stove. She sat down lightly on the counter trying to make sense of her last grouping of visions. They had moved incredibly fast almost to fast for her to really see what was going on. The vision tumbled through her mind: fire and blood, the smell of smoke was overpowering, and then she saw the twisted metal of the car. Natasha fought to pull away from the vision but pictures wrapped around her near to the point of suffocation before it suddenly disappeared and Natasha was left gasping for air.

Natasha was dialing a number before her mind even realized that she had grabbed her cell phone from the counter. She waited patiently for the person to pick up.

"Winchester," A light, lilting voice answered.

"Hailey?" Natasha asked.

"Taz?" Hailey Winchester gasped confusion distorting her tone. "Hey! Is everything okay? I haven't talked to you in forever."

"Can you get to New York City?" Natasha asked.

"Why?" Hailey demanded. "What happened? Are you okay? And do you have any idea what time it is?"

"I had a vision, I'm fine but this vision is stronger…worse some how. I don't know why I was going to call Missouri after I contacted you. And it's five thirty in the morning," Natasha replied effortlessly answering the litany of questions in order.

"The vision was stronger?" Hailey repeated. "Why the hell would it be stronger?"

"It sucked me back in no matter how many times I fought away from it," Natasha whispered. "Something bad's coming, Hails, I have to show you this."

"I'll be there as soon as I can," Hailey promised.

"Hurry, Hales," Natasha pleaded.

**Hailey's Point of View**

"Trevor, Trev!" I shouted. "Wake up."

"It's five thirty," Trevor whined.

"Yeah, well, suck it up you can sleep in the car," I retorted.

"What?" Trevor asked. "What happened?"

"My friend had a vision," I answered. "We have to go. Now."

"Hailey, we can't just leave," Trevor responded. "If you're gone when you're brothers come back they'll kill you."

"You didn't hear her, Trevor, she's scared and Taz is never scared," I muttered. "I'm leaving, now."

"Not alone you're not," Trevor retorted. "Besides how are you going to get there steal a car?"

"Well, yeah?" I shrugged.

"Because that won't make your brothers' any less mad at you," Trevor scoffed.

"Hey, back off, Moore," I growled.

I moved past Trevor ignoring the eyes glaring into my back as I threw my two duffel bags onto the bed. I moved around quickly throwing my clothing and weapons into the separate duffel bags. I then went around decharming the room. I wrote a quick note and kept it where they could see it Trevor had already packed up and was dangling his keys around his index finger. I smiled slightly trailing after Trevor. I shut and locked the door and hung the do-not-disturb sign. I rushed to the passenger side of Trevor's mustang and quickly rattled directions to Natasha's apartment. West Virginia to New York was going to take at least a day with the way that Trevor was driving.

We drove throughout the night. Whenever Trevor got tired I took over driving and we got into New York City as fast as we possibly could. Natasha was waiting for us when we got there after parking the car. I jumped out of the car and hugged her tight. We waited for Trevor and I introduced the two before we walked up to Natasha's apartment.

"What's going on?" I demanded. "What did you see?"

Natasha smiled a watery smile before putting her hands on either side of my head. I had seen her do this with other people once or twice but I didn't know what to expect. The pictures that appeared before my very eyes were startling and painful. I crumbled to the ground as gore, violence, screaming, and an unbearable sense of loss. It all passed by so fast that I couldn't make sense of all of it. I wasn't sure I wanted to.

When I came back to the real world I was aware that I was leaning against Trevor who seemed to be holding me up.

"Is that it?" I whispered.

"No," Natasha sighed. "I can't make sense of the vision just yet. It's a bunch of events jumbled into one vision. All I know is that there is something coming up fast and it's nasty."

"There's a demon," I whispered. "Called Azazel. I don't know much about him but its all connected it has to be. He mentioned Sammy too."

"I'll look into it," Natasha promised. "But you two should go get some sleep. I know you traveled throughout the night. That's not healthy, Hails."

"Please, I was raised on the road," I scoffed.

Natasha sent me a glaring look before gesturing down the hallway that led to the bedrooms. I grabbed Trevor's arm as I moved down the hallway. While saying I was raised on the road was true, it was also sad. I was use to driving for days at a time, sleeping in the car when we were in between credit cards and just being in an enclosed space for long periods of time. There were some things one should not get use to and I think this was one of them.

I collapsed on the one bed in the room after toeing off my shoes. I grinned tiredly as Trevor pulled me to my chest as we both got much needed sleep.

**Dean's Point of View**

I felt guilty leaving Hailey behind. I knew that she was back to being at the top of her game but I didn't want her back into things so soon. She needed to heal more then just physically. I knew that she would never admit it but when she was kidnapped, it changed things for her, things that she just couldn't change back. I think for the first time she realized, and it pained me to realize it also that there might be times where I might be there too late, and she'd have to save herself. All I know is when I got to that warehouse that she had been held in; the demon that had taken her was already dead. The person who had been possessed was unconscious and Hailey had been lucid for all of five minutes before she too had lost consciousness. Who would know the next time she would chose to wake up would be month later.

There were some days where if you were looking at Hailey just right you could see the terror she had felt over those three weeks. Proof that her brothers weren't superheroes and sometimes she really was on her own. If there were any doubts in those who were supposed to be watching your back that could create an unsafe environment to hunt in. None of use would ever intentionally hurt one another but there were just some things we couldn't help. And Hailey wasn't ready to hunt yet, despite what she may have thought.

It was a simple hunt that I took Aiden and Sam on a few counties over. A spirit was getting violent so it was the run of the mill salting and burning the spirits remains. It was an easy job but Hailey wasn't the only one who was wadding slowly back into hunting. Aiden and Sam were out of real practice experience. While they might've kept up with training and conditioning they didn't have the instinct that working jobs honed.

Aiden, Sam, and I had gotten back to the hotel around six in the morning. Hailey would still be asleep but it would be nice to get a couple of hours ourselves before we packed everything up and moved to the next job. Opening up the door quietly, Aiden, Sam and I slipped inside. Instantaneously I knew something was off and I flipped the lights off. The charms were gone but line of rock salt remained. Aiden and Sam sprang into action looking for Hailey as I spotted the piece of paper on the bed. I snatched it the second I could reach it and read it quickly getting angrier with every word.

**Guys,**

**I don't know how to say this gently so I'm just going to say it I'm not there. I did the exact opposite of what you told me not to do and for that I'm sorry. If there was anything I could do to have prevented the way this went down I would've. I haven't been kidnapped and I didn't run away to spite your decision to keep me benched. One of my friends needed me and I had to go. The reason why I didn't call to tell you guys was the fact that you never would've agreed to let me go and the fact that it would've distracted you from the hunt. **

**Hailey**

"I'm going to kill her!" I snarled. The very second I got my hands on her I was going to murder her.

She was eighteen freaking years old and she still didn't understand the fine art of staying where we had left her. I don't give a shit if someone needed her she should've called and at least have asked.

"Dean?" Aiden called. "Dude, she's gone."

"Thanks for the newsflash, Edison," I grumbled. "She left this. She said that she didn't run away or disappear but she sure has hell didn't leave us any information on where the fuck she went."

"What do we do?" Sam asked looking to me.

"Aiden call her," I sighed. "Sam call Missouri and Bobby ask if they've seen her. Actually, run through all of our contacts. Anyone who may have seen her I want to know."

**Aiden's Point of View**

I had forgotten how unpredictable this life was. When dealing with the paranormal the saying expects the unexpected was one to always keep in the back of your mind. The unpredictability also stretched into our home lives. The lives we lived when we weren't working and even the relationships we had with one another. The love we had was predictable, it would never falter but the way that my siblings and I would react to one another was an entirely different matter.

Hailey had always been unpredictable. She was like that when she hunted and the way she reacted to every situation. It wasn't too say that she was a bad hunter but she tended to jump in head first into problems without thinking what the consequences might be. It was obvious that she had done the exact same thing. Something had happened and she reacted without thinking. Well, mostly without thinking, she did leave a note this time.

Out of the four of us, Hailey was like Dad. They both felt like it was perfectly okay to just walk out when they thought that it was helping people. But what about us? Dad just up and disappearing without a word didn't help. Was he trying to protect us? Was he still alive? Was he okay? God the questions alone were enough to keep me up at night.

One of the entire reasons Sam and I got back into hunting was to help Dean find Hailey. It was three exhausting weeks were nearly everyone in the game was helping us look for her. Having no idea where she could be was one of the scariest things in the world. It had been only a month since she had been awake and it was obvious that Dean didn't want her doing anything strenuous. It was obvious that something bad enough had happened because she wasn't acting the way she normally did. Her behavior was suspicious at best and she had been having nightmares steadily. She had been something through something traumatic and I understood that but that wasn't why she was reacting the way she did. I didn't know what had happened but I knew it was bad.

I just didn't understand she knew how scared we all were when she disappeared and now she did so willingly? She vanished with all her stuff with no explanation it made no sense. And it was just so Hailey.

"Aiden?" I heard Dean snap. "You going to call her phone?"

"Yeah, sorry," I muttered.

I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and then dialed her number. I waited as it rang and rang and just when I thought that Hailey was going to foolishly let it go to voicemail but her tired voice came across the line.

"Hey Aiden," Hailey whispered.

"Hailey, where are you?" I demanded.

"If I tell you that then you'll just come storming over and then I won't be able to help my friend.

"Hailey Winchester this isn't a joke," I bit out.

"I know it's not, Aiden," She replied casually. "And this isn't a joking manner but this is something that I need to do by myself."

"Hailey," I growled.

"I'm fine, Aiden, I'll call you later alright?" Hailey responded.

Before I could respond, Dean had snatched my phone out of my hand. I sighed as he began grilling her from what I could tell she was giving him the same answers and not giving him what he wanted to know.

"Hailey Jade Winchester don't you dare…hang up on me," Dean seethed. He sighed before tossing my phone back to me. "She hung up on me. I'm going to kill her."

"Dean she had to have had a reason," I soothed. "And she said she's okay."

"Oh, yeah she's okay until I get my hands on her," Dean growled.

"Dean if she knows you're angry she is going to be even more reluctant to give us any leads on where she is." Sam responded. "You need to calm down. If she said she's okay then I'm sure she is."

"Has anyone seen her?" Dean asked.

I sighed and rolled my eyes leave it to Dean to completely ignore what Sam and I are saying. Dean could be very single minded when it came to the youngest member of the brood. Dean had raised us nearly singlehandedly, managing to be fulfill two roles at once whenever we needed them, the father, and obnoxious overprotective brother, who just loves to bully you. Dean was able to jump from one to the other so easily that for outsiders it could boggle the mind. While Dad was still our father, it had always been Dean that we looked to for answers and orders whether it was a job or just every day life. Sure dad was the one where dean got some of the jobs and orders and Dad also did his best to raise us but he couldn't break the bonds that happened as a direct result to whenever he left Dean in charge when he left on hunts when we were all growing up. One of the funniest things had to be the way Dean could emulate Dad to a tee whenever orders were not followed and orders were one of the last things that Hailey Winchester liked to listen to.

This had happened before in different time sand different ways but she never put her self in jeopardy, well at least not from any outsider. We would like to find as we always did and then she wouldn't be sitting easy for a couple of days then everything was back to normal and she wouldn't run off again. Those events had happened enough for it really not to be surprising but wasn't a weekly or monthly occurrence. Actually, I don't think she had pulled a stunt like that since she had been fourteen not that it mattered. I had no idea what she was thinking pulling something like this after, we had just gotten her back.

"No, no one I've called has seen her yet," Sam mumbled.

"Okay, we can't just stay here," Dean muttered.

"Wait," I replied. "She's done this before. I mean the running thing? And where has she ran consistently?"

"Tasha," Sam groaned. "Of course. She might've had a vision and needed Hailey."

"Well, let's go we can be there in a day at least." Dean ordered.

**Hailey's Point of View**

I had no idea what time it was but I knew that it was at least midday. Trevor was still sleeping as I slipped out of the guest room and down the hallway looking for Natasha. I found her over by the window seemingly starring out into space.

"You and your family are on a very dangerous path," Natasha responded. "The demon who took your mother away from you is looking for special children."

"What do you mean special children?" I demanded. "And is Sam apart of it?"

"You and Sam are in two different generations," Natasha informed me her voice dropping in pitch as her eyes glazed over. "Sam and you are chosen for something and it isn't good. The powers both of you are starting to get Azazel wants to use for something."

"Use for what?" I asked.

"I don't know," Natasha replied. "The very development of the plan that is forming has yet to happen. Azazel is just choosing children. But you and Sam are definitely frontrunners."

"Shit, Tasha, that makes me feel so much better," I grumbled dropping down on the couch. "You're telling me there are others like me?"

"Yes, a lot of others," Natasha replied. "There are at least thirty in your age group and the same amount in your brothers."

"I haven't seen any signs that Sam has abilities," I told her.

"Just like he hasn't seen any with you?" Natasha replied.

"This is so fucked up," I groaned.

"Oh, it's about to get worse," Natasha grimaced.

"What?" I asked sitting up straight and looking around suspiciously. "Why?"

"You're brothers are here," Natasha stated. "And they aren't exactly pleased."

"Son of a bitch."


	6. Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

**Chapter Six: Horseshoes and Hand Grenades**

"_Nothing's more dangerous then the calm before a storm..."_

In my past three years of hunting, there had been things that were weak and then there were others that were completely terrifying. However, in all my eighteen years of life nothing was more formidable than Dean's temper and adding that of Aiden and Sammy's it was just not a place you wanted to be. Believe me I had been there more than enough times.

I was the flight risk of the family. But, I was by no means a coward. There were times where the testosterone overdoes that were my life made certain things difficult. I had run away before but it wasn't teenage rebellion, it was more like self-preservation. I got tired of the constant moving and the shitty motels that we'd rent. Have you ever run a black light over a motel room? Just…don't unless you wanted to be scarred for life. Anyway, after being cramped in enclosed spaces with just my brother and father's for companions, it made a lot of sense that I'd run just for the sake of my sanity. Granted by the time Dean or my father found me… I shudder to even remember those particular episodes. Let's just say there were a lot of yelling and crying and not being able to sit comfortably in the impala for at least a week. But I digress, the main point? Unless you were a Winchester, you didn't want to cross another Winchester. Especially one with as short a fuse as Dean's.

Natasha looked deep in thought for a moment before she opened the front door. Dean had his hand poised to knock but dropped it back to his side once he saw Natasha. Sam and Dean were standing side-by-side blocking any chance of an escape. Natasha was frowning up at them as their eyes swept the apartment. I didn't know why exactly she was frowning before I heard a bang towards the back of the bedroom.

It all made sense then, Sam and Dean had came the normal way, while Aiden climbed the fire escape thereby blocking all potential exits in Natasha's apartment. But the fire escape was in the guest bedroom. The room that might as well have been mine and Trevor was currently sleeping in that room. Son of a bitch, I sighed and hung my head I just couldn't catch a break.

Before Dean or Sam could see me, I rushed back towards the bedroom. I threw the door open and groaned. Trevor was awake, but was currently being held against the wall by his throat.

"Aiden!" I shouted. "Leave him alone."

"I knew there was something you weren't telling us," Aiden fumed. He hadn't let Trevor go yet, only tightened his grip. "You can't lie to us, Hailey. You never have been able to."

"Aiden, let him go," I ordered.

"No," Aiden retorted. "You think that you can just sneak around behind all of our backs and date this punk?"

"I didn't realize I needed you're permission, Aiden," I growled. "I'm eighteen years old. I can date whomever I please."

"Yeah, you fucking him too?" Aiden questioned before turning back to Trevor. "Huh? Are you fucking my baby sister?"

"Aiden, back off I'm warning you," I hissed.

"Hailey, just leave." Aiden responded not glancing away from Trevor. "Unless you want to see your little boy toy get his ass kicked."

I growled in annoyance before attempting to forcibly remove Aiden's grip from Trevor's throat. But, Aiden just removed one arm and shoved me backward so that I was sprawled out on the bed. Aiden, then, raised his fist, still keeping Trevor pinned. Before Aiden could even deliver a punch that would have hit Trevor right in the face, he went flying backward, pinned against the opposite wall.

"What the fuck?" Aiden snapped struggling against my abilities.

"Aiden, it's okay," I soothed.

"You did this?" Aiden asked. "What the hell, Hailey?"

"I don't know," I replied. "But it's okay."

"You threw me into a wall!" Aiden yelled.

"You were about to beat my boyfriend's face in," I retorted.

"Christo," Aiden spat.

"I'm not possessed, Aiden," I grumbled.

"How long?" Aiden whispered.

"Two months," I replied.

"We have to tell Dean," Aiden answered.

"No," I stated.

"What?" Aiden demanded. "Hailey, he'll freak when he finds out you're keeping this from him."

"No," I whispered. "Please, Aiden, promise me."

"He's going to be pissed," Aiden informed me.

"Something new and different," I rolled my eyes. "Don't try to hit Trevor again."

"Fine," Aiden muttered. "But if you hurt her in any way…"

"I won't," Trevor said.

"See?" I replied.

It was then Aiden started laughing.

"What?" I demanded.

"I might be okay with it but you still have to go through Dean and Sam," Aiden chortled. "Good luck with that one."

"Oh, Hailey!" Natasha shouted down the hallway. "Guess who came to visit?"

The only warning I had that Sam and Dean had finally been let into the apartment was two pairs of boots storming down the hallway before the door suddenly slammed open. Once again, Sam and Dean blocked the door as both came through it closing the door behind them.

"Oh, hi, guys, fancy meeting you here," I smiled.

"You're honestly choosing now to get cute?" Sam asked.

I made an almost exactly replica of the face that Sam made whenever we did something annoying. Dean liked to call it Sammy's bitch face. I risked a look at Dean and I flinched at the glare Dean threw at me. I sighed knowing that there was nothing I could say to make things better. At least I had answered my phone and left a note, that was much more than I had done in the past. There wasn't any slack in Dean's expression as he stormed closer grabbing my arm and pushing me against the wall so that there was no way I could move. Right when it looked like Dean was about to tear into me, Sammy spotted Trevor.

"Hey, aren't you that guy from the roadhouse?" Sam asked.

"That's Hailey's boyfriend," Aiden stated as he lounged on the bed. I quickly shot him a shut up look, which he ignored choosing to smirk at me instead. Asshole.

Explain," Dean growled. "Now."

"Alright," I shrugged, I really had nothing to loose I was fucked either way. "This is my boyfriend Trevor."

"We've established that," Dean growled, still keeping me pinned against the wall. "Feel like sharing the back story?"

"Not really," I shrugged.

"Not really isn't an option for an answer, Hailey," Dean snapped.

"It's complicated," I replied.

I had to admit I really didn't want to answer the question because telling them that I met him in a dream and we'd been technically been dating for two months didn't seem like an appropriate answer. There was also the fact that I didn't want to be chewed out in front of my boyfriend.

"Try me," Dean snapped.

"We, uh, met last month," I started. "He was working in the hospital that I was in."

"Cute," Dean nodded. "And?"

Normally it was Dean's reactions I had to watch but, I saw Sam flinch just slightly but it was enough to peek my interest. Now, why would Sammy reach that way? By the way, Sam was suddenly avoiding my eye; I knew it wasn't anything good. I was going to have to talk to him alone but now was just not the time. Especially when Dean was giving me that look. You know the one that made me start fearing for my safety. Yup that's the one.

"What exactly are you doing here?" Dean demanded.

I guessed that I had answered enough on the whole boyfriend thing. I shot a ha-ha look to Aiden who looked pissed off to say the least. It seemed as though Aiden wanted Sam and Dean to be the ones to freak out about the whole thing. Thankfully, I had also snuck away and that was probably what they were most irritated with. Thus the immediate questioning on that very subject once I had answered the boyfriend question.

"Did you read my note?" I asked.

"Hailey." There was a clear warning in just saying my name that said in no uncertain terms to watch my step.

"Tasha needed to tell me something," I replied.

"The phone?" Sam suggested.

"She needed to show me," I stated.

"Anything you'd like to share with the class?" Dean growled.

"I'd really rather not," I whispered.

Dean's eyebrows just about shot off of his forehead and he took one small step closer to me. "That wasn't a suggestion, Hailey Jade. You don't just up and leave and not tell us why you're here."

"I told you why," I stated. "Tasha needed me, I came. End of story."

"And you didn't call?" Sam snapped.

"Why?" I asked hotly. "So you could forbid me from coming here? I'm sorry but when my best friend needs me, I'm going to help her. Besides it wasn't like you needed me when you're all keeping me benched in the first place."

"You were not trying to prove a point?" Dean growled.

"No!" I shouted. "I was keeping my promise. Something you taught me, Dean."

I saw Dean calculating what I had just said. He couldn't exactly refute that statement he had taught me that a Winchester keeps their promises no matter what. I allowed myself a small smirk thinking that I had finally shut down the subject. Sadly, Dean's face got stony and he glanced at Aiden, Sam, and Trevor.

"Guys, leave," Dean ordered

Aiden and Sam exchanged glances before quickly leaving the room. Trevor hadn't moved and Dean glared at him.

"I said go," Dean snapped.

"It's okay, Trevor," I whispered.

Trevor looked at me before following after Sam and Aiden. Dean shut the door behind him and glared at me.

"Sit down," Dean ordered.

I sat down quickly watching my brother carefully. I tried to think of where this whole thing could possibly go. I frowned knowing that not even two years ago, pulling a stunt like this would result in one cherry colored bottom for yours truly and try as I might to think differently, things really hadn't changed.

"I thought we had broken this running habit of yours years ago," Dean frowned standing in front of me.

"I wasn't running," I responded.

"Really, Hails?" Dean demanded. "Because this whole thing feels pretty damn familiar."

"Yeah, Dean," I muttered. I couldn't really deny the fact that this whole thing really did feel familiar. It was somewhat annoying that the mistakes of my past still lingered whenever I pulled something that my brother's didn't like. I wasn't running away though.

"I was going to come back," I continued before Dean could say something else, "and I answered my phone. I left a note too."

"A note that didn't even mention where you were going!" Dean yelled. "Have you lost your damn mind? Are you that angry at me that you decide now would be a great time to not listen to my orders?"

"That is not how it happened," I groaned. "I didn't obey my orders and I'm sorry but you should've heard Tasha, Dean, she sounded freaked and she never gets freaked."

"You should've called," Dean growled. "We could've stopped by without you having to steal a car."

"Uh, Trevor drove his car," I responded.

"Hailey," Dean growled rubbing a hand down his face.

"What we didn't steal anything," I replied.

"How did you even start up with this kid?" Dean groaned. "You guys met at a hospital? And he magically turns out to be another hunter?"

"A lot of hunters work real jobs, Dean," I sighed.

"So, not the point, Hailey," Dean said. "I'm tired of you hiding shit from me."

"Yes, sir," I nodded.

"Don't just nod your head, Hailey, stop it, now," Dean ordered sharply.

"Okay, Dean," I muttered.

"And don't do this again," Dean stated.

I nodded again and stood up. The lecturing was done and it really wasn't all that bad. When Dean finds out all the stuff I still haven't told him about, that will be bad. I winced and looked away as Dean pulled me into him. Before I could even hug him back, he moved grabbing me into a headlock.

"Dean!" I complained. "Come on. Don't be an ass."

"Dean!" Tasha shouted. "You better come out here and greet me properly!"

"She is like a double of Missouri," Dean muttered.

"You're lucky I don't have a spoon!" Tasha retorted.

Dean frowned at that releasing me and moving towards the living room. Before I could follow after him, Sam had come back and closed the door leaving us alone.

"You knew what I was going to say before I said it," I accused.

"I don't know what you're talking…"

"Cut the crap, Sammy. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"That thing was telling the truth," Sam gasped.

"Azazel?" I corrected. "Yeah, it was. What do you get?"

"Premonitions," Sam replied "You?"

"Telekinesis," I said. "Trevor is pyrokinetic and he can jump into dreams. That was how we met."

"This is so fucked up," Sam mumbled.

"We can't tell Dean," I said.

"Hailey," Sam frowned.

"He won't understand," I stated. "And you know he won't. Dad raised us to see everything as black and white. We're gray. Promise me, Sammy, please."

"Okay," Sam sighed.

Sam didn't look so sure of what he just said but I knew he'd keep his promise. It wasn't right keeping things from each other but I was honestly afraid of how Dean would see me if he found out that I was telekinetic. Little did Sam know that Aiden was in on the secret too? And as uncomfortable as keeping things from Dean it wouldn't be the first time. After all, all three of us thought of Dean as a parent in some respects and that's what siblings did on some occasions, keeping things among themselves to keep each other out of trouble.

I walked up to Sam and hugged him. Out of all three of my brothers Sam was the least reluctant to have what Dean called chick-flick moments.

"Guys!" Aiden shouted. "Natasha found us a hunt in Red Lodge, Montana!"

Sam and I exchanged glances before moving out to the living room. Trevor, Natasha, Aiden, and Dean were gathered around the dining room table. Tasha had thrown pebbles that had all landed around Montana.

"Say goodbye to your boyfriend Hailey," Aiden muttered.

I shot a glare at Aiden who was glaring unabashedly at Trevor. I looked to Dean and Sam but both avoided my glances.

"Aiden, shut the fuck up," I snapped.

"Hailey," Sam reproached.

I huffed and rolled my eyes. Sure, Aiden could be as mean as he wanted to Trevor but the minute I said a curse word they got involved. And it was a word that they used all the time too. Where did they think I learned it from?

Dean, Aiden, and Sam said a quick goodbye to Tasha and they all looked at Trevor distrustfully before walking out the door. I could tell that they were waiting in the hallway outside of Tasha's door.

"Thanks for coming, Hails," Natasha whispered.

"Of course," I smiled. I gave her a quick hug before I moved down to hug Trevor.

Trevor hugged me back before I kissed him softly. Just when it was about to get a little more heated my brothers shouted for me. I waved goodbye before following my brothers down to the street.

I got into the back of the car slightly comforted by the fact that seating hadn't changed since Aiden and Sam had been gone. Dean was driving, with Sam riding shotgun, while Aiden and I were lounging in the back seat. I was sitting so that my feet were in Aiden's lap as I began to doze off.

"_Do you even know how far off the reservation you've gone? So far from normal? From human?" Dean growled._

_I had never seen Dean look so upset and disgusted at the same time. And what was he talking about? Had he found out about my secret? Or Sam's?_

"_I'm just exorcising demons!" And that was Sam's voice. _

"_With your mind!" Dean shouted. "What else can you do?"_

"_I can send them back to hell," Sam replied. "It only works for demons and that's it."_

"_What. Else. Can. You. Do?" Dean bit out, grabbing Sam's shirt and slamming him against the wall._

_It was then I made an appearance bursting through the door of the motel room. I noticed that Dean and Sam looked like it they were about to come to blows and I shoved them. They were pinned on opposite walls. Sam just relaxed but Dean seemed freaked._

"_You too?" Dean screamed. _

"_Dean, we should've said something," I whimpered. "But try to see the other side of all this…"_

"Hailey!" Aiden shouted shaking me awake. "Nightmare?"

"Yeah, I guess so," I shuddered.

I leaned back against the window trying to ignore Dean's looks from the rear view mirror. What the hell was that? I felt chills it was way too realistic. What the hell was going on?


	7. Fire in Her Soul

**Chapter Seven: Fire in Her Soul**

"_Our siblings push buttons that cast us in roles we felt sure we had let go of long ago - the baby, the peacekeeper, the caretaker, the avoider.... It doesn't seem to matter how much time has elapsed or how far we've traveled."_

After we left Natasha's we drove as far as we could to Montana but stopped for the night when Aiden and I began to fight for the third time. It was obvious that Aiden was still irritated about Trevor and I just didn't feel like dealing with his attitude, resulting in a volatile situation. I had been resting against the door when Aiden shoved me for no apparent reason.

"What?" I demanded.

"Stay on your side," Aiden responded.

"There are no sides," I growled.

"Guys," Dean warned.

"How is this my fault?" I responded. "He's being completely insufferable."

Dean and Sam exchanged glances before Sam began to scout for motels and finally found one along the interstate. Dean pulled into the parking lot and stopped by the office. He got out and quickly came back with two room keys.

Depending on the situation and what kind of motel it was whether or not we got one room or two. When we were able, we got conjoined rooms. Aiden and I normally stayed in a room together while Sam and Dean stayed in the other. When we didn't get conjoined rooms, we got them right next too each other. The only times we all shared a room was when we were all injured or we couldn't pay for more then one room. Sometimes the pairing switched up when there was fighting, unless all of us were fighting then, well, nothing really changed there was just more shouting then normal. The positives of getting two rooms was that at least two of us could shower at the same time cutting down on our mornings. We also didn't have to share beds as frequently anymore.

We all got out of the impala grabbing our individual duffel bags before trekking into each of our rooms with orders that we'd meet in Dean and Sam's room once we were all settled for the night. I dropped my bags on the bed furthest from the door before calling dips on the first shower. I showered quickly figuring that it wouldn't be in my best interest to make Aiden angrier than he was already.

I towel dried my hair before putting it into a ponytail. I put on a tank top and my terry cloth shorts. Aiden brushed by me and slammed the bathroom door. I rolled my eyes slamming the front door and went to Dean and Sam's room. I walked through it without knocking. Sam's head snapped towards the door but relaxed when he saw me.

"Hails?" Sam asked. "What's going on?"

"He's such a dick," I muttered.

"Excuse me?" Sam asked.

"Aiden is a dick," I grumbled.

"Why?" Sam responded.

"He's mad that you guys didn't ream me out for dating Trevor," I grumbled.

"I see," Sam responded.

The conversation turned to silence as I lounged on one of the beds waiting for Dean to come out of the shower and Aiden to come into the room. Aiden came in first; he burst into the room, his hair still damp, with a tee shirt and sweatpants on.

"God, Hails, could you wear any less clothing if you'd tried?" Aiden sneered.

"If you got it, flaunt it," I retorted.

"Guys, stop it," Sam ordered sharply.

Aiden rolled his eyes dropping into the seat across from Sam. When Dean came out of the bathroom, he took one look around the room and growled.

"What did I miss?" Dean sighed.

"Nothing," Aiden and I muttered.

"Sam?" Dean asked.

"Aiden and Hails are still pissed at each other," Sam replied.

"He started it," I muttered

"If you could keep your legs closed there wouldn't be a problem," Aiden retorted.

In the minute it took for Dean and Sam to process what Aiden said, I had leapt across the room punching Aiden in the face. He growled pushing me backwards but I ducked away and came back with a left jab, right cross combination that knocked him back down. Before either us could fight further, Sam and Dean had gathered their wits and separated us. Sam had grabbed Aiden and I was currently dangling in the air from Dean holding me around the waist.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Dean snapped dropping me back on one of the beds. "Cut it out!"

"He started it!" I shouted.

"You punched me," Aiden retorted.

"You called me a slut," I responded.

"Hailey, out," Dean ordered.

"What?" I huffed. "Why?"

"Because I told you too," Dean growled. "Go, now."

I growled storming out of the room and slamming my way through the room, Aiden and I were sharing. Dean came in five minutes later and pointed towards one of the beds. I sat down, watching as Dean pulled out a chair dropping it down right next to be and straddling it. After a near ten minute staring contest, Dean broke first.

"Care to share?" Dean asked.

Most people would see that as a question. But, I spoke Winchester-lingo fluently and clearly saw that as an order disguised as a question. And, yes, before someone asks I was just basically ordered to share my feelings. Yet, despite the order that wasn't really a full out order I had the option of sidestepping the question.

"Not really," I muttered.

"Excuse me?" Dean snapped.

"I don't see the need to share," I clarified as an afterthought I added, "sir." Because with the way Dean was looking at me my answer would be taken as insubordinate regardless of whether or not 'sir' had been added.

"Oh, really?" Dean demanded pinning me with a hard look. "You know that fighting before hunts cause problems."

"Yeah, I know," I responded. "But, Aiden's the one that's being obnoxious."

"Hails," Dean sighed.

"He is!" I retorted. "He's been gone for two years and suddenly he feels like he can treat me like this? Like him leaving never happened?"

"He's still your brother," Dean stated.

"He can't just leave and then come back like that," I grumbled. "I'm not the little kid that he left behind anymore. I'm eighteen years old!"

"It's going to take a while for all of us to get use to each other again," Dean replied. "But everything will be okay. In the meantime, Aiden will stay with Sam and I'll sleep here."

"Thanks, Dean," I sighed.

"Don't mention it, Hails," Dean scoffed.

I climbed into bed watching as Dean re-packed Aiden's duffel bags before quickly going back to the other room only to come back a few minutes later dropping his own stuff by mine before slipping into the opposite bed. I rolled over and closed my eyes.

"_Hello, Hailey," A familiar rasping growl greeted._

"_There a reason why you keep bothering me?" I growled._

"_Such an attitude," Azazel sighed. "What you don't understand, Hails, is that you and Sam are my favorites."_

"_Favorites for what?" I asked._

"_I see your powers are manifesting," Azazel said sidestepping my question._

"_What my telekinesis?" I scoffed. "It's fine."_

"_It's out of control," Azazel corrected. "If you kept trying to bury it, it'll become uncontrollable."_

"_Shut up," I snapped._

"_You can't hide who you truly are, Hailey Winchester," Azazel scolded._

"_And what am I?" I shouted._

"_You're chosen," Azazel replied._

"_You keep saying that, chosen!" I growled. "Chosen for what?"_

"_Can't give away the punch line just yet," Azazel responded._

"_Go fuck yourself," I snarled._

"_Tsk, tsk, tsk," Azazel laughed._

_Suddenly I was thrown against the wall of the room. I couldn't move an inch as Azazel walked closer._

"_Now, I have tried to be patient," Azazel snapped. "But you're trying my last nerve, Hailey Winchester. You will do what I say or I won't be so nice anymore."_

"_Go to hell," I groaned. The pressure that was keeping me against the wall was not even close to comfortable._

"_What you need to know is that little attitude of yours will get you into trouble," Azazel scolded, "like now for instance."_

_Before I could even process what Azazel had said I felt a burning pain in my stomach, I bit my lip to keep from screaming but the pain merely intensified. I screamed despite my best intentions. I felt the warm liquid of blood trickling down my stomach. He was cutting me open, with what I didn't know but I never wanted to feel it again._

"Hailey!"

"_See you next time, little Winchester," Azazel laughed._

"Hailey!" Dean shouted. "Hails, wake up!"

I gasped rocketing forward, nearly smacking heads with Dean.

"You alright?" Dean asked. "You were screaming you head off for at least two minutes."

"'M fine," I muttered.

"Hails?" Dean prodded.

I groaned under my breath as I moved quickly to the bathroom locking the door behind me. I carefully pulled my shirt up and gasped before sneering at my reflection. Nearly my entire stomach was covered in deep blue, nearly black bruising.

"Hailey?" Dean asked again knocking on the bathroom door.

"Just give me five minutes, Dean," I responded letting my irritation for not getting a few minutes of peace color my tone.

I heard someone knock on the main door unsurprised when Dean was answering Sam's questions. I rolled my eyes when someone once again knocked on the door. I growled unlocking the door and let the person in. I raised my eyebrow in seeing Sam walk into the bathroom and closing the door.

"Sam?" I questioned.

"Dean went to check on Aiden," Sam replied. "There a reason why you woke up screaming?"

"Azazel paid me a little visit again," I responded.

"Oh?" Sam frowned.

"Yeah, he left me a little parting gift too," I snarked lifting my shirt off.

Sam hissed and reached a hand to touch it but I shied away, glaring at him.

"Don't touch it," I snapped.

"Hailey," Sam sighed. "We should…"

"No, you promised me, Sammy," I growled.

"You're hurt," Sam retorted.

"Who gives a shit?" I fired back.

"Hailey," Sam warned.

"Sam, I'm a hunter, I've been more injured then this, back off," I growled.

"Damn it, Hailey," Sam fumed.

"What do you want me to do?" I growled. "Cry? Do you wanna kiss my boo-boo, Sammy?"

"You've been spending too much time with Dean," Sam frowned.

"Yeah, well, he's the only one who didn't abandon me," I retorted. "We done here?"

"I didn't abandon you!" Sam responded. "I was just going to college. It was Dad…"

"Yeah, it's always Dad's fault isn't it?" I rolled my eyes. "Dad made you leave. Dad made you fight with him nearly every single day after you turned fifteen. Dad made you pull Dean in the middle."

"The man isn't fucking infallible, Hailey!" Sam snapped.

I shook my head at the angry look Sam threw at me. I moved to walk back into the room; Sam grabbed my wrist intending to spin me around.

"Get off me!" I growled.

"You're not walking away from this," Sam replied. "Where did all this come from, Hay, huh?"

"Just let me go, Sam," I demanded.

"No," Sam replied. "You're not allowed to go off on someone and not have a reasonable explanation."

"Not having a reasonable explanation?" I repeated. "You fucking kidding me, Sam? You left, _poof_ gone for two years, maybe three."

"Dad told me to stay gone," Sam snapped.

"Oh, so you listen to the man when it benefits you?" I scoffed. "No calls, no nothing, Sam. For all you know we could've died and you wouldn't know because you're too goddamn prideful to pick up the phone and call us."

"He said…"

"Yeah, I know!" I shouted. "You guys always say shit you don't mean. Did you suddenly forget that just because this fight in particular was one of the worst?"

"Stop it, Hailey," Sam ordered sharply.

"A second ago you were angry that I wasn't sharing my feelings and now you're telling to stop?" I smirked. "Jeez, Sammy, make up your mind."

I winced when Sam slammed me against the bathroom door. Maybe I had pushed a little too far. After all, the entire Winchester family had a temper and Sam was no exception. The worst thing about Sam was that he didn't have to put a lot of thought into being threatening. Although, he was more low-key than Dean, he was a force to be reckoned with if you poked him hard enough.

"Where is all this coming from?" Sam asked again. "Aiden and I have been around for weeks now. You could've just told us how you were feeling earlier."

"Why?" I asked. "And give you even more reason to sideline me from any jobs we come across."

"You know it's not like that, Hailey," Sam sighed.

"Really, Sammy?" I muttered. "I've been out of the hospital for weeks now. I got my strength back and I can run, and do everything. There's no reason for me to still be benched and yet I am."

"There's a lot of reasons, Hailey," Sam replied quietly.

"Yeah?" I demanded, "Like what?"

"We don't want to lose you again," Sam stated. "Dean was a wreck. Aiden wasn't faring much better and neither was I."

"So, it's fair for you guys to risk it?" I asked. "Risk me losing you guys? Do you think I'd handle it any better?"

"I'll talk to Dean," Sam frowned.

I looked down at my feet feeling very exhausted. I had not one but two fights in one day. I moved to peel myself away from the door when Sam grabbed my wrist again. I looked up at him questioningly but Sam did not say a word instead pulling me into him. I sighed and hugged him back. While Sam Winchester was the most likely to hold a grudge, he never could stay mad at me.

It felt nice to get the weight of the feelings I had for Sam leaving suddenly off my chest. It was almost as nice as hugging him again. When we both pulled away, I knew that everything was okay again. Sam opened the bathroom door and we walked out. Instead of Dean being there, like I thought he would be, Aiden was.

"Dean wants to talk to you," Aiden stated looking at Sam.

"Alright," Sam shrugged.

I watched as Sam walked out of one room and going into the one where Dean was waiting. I attempted to move past Aiden, who was standing in the middle of the room, when he stuck his hand out to halt my progress. Or at least that's what he meant to do; instead I yelped and winced when his stray limb brushed against my stomach.

"Hailey?" Aiden gasped. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I replied.

"I barely touched you," Aiden responded. He then lunged quickly lifting my shirt up. He saw the bruise and quickly let my shirt fall back. "What the hell?"

"It's nothing," I responded.

"Bullshit, Hails," Aiden snapped. "You use to be able to talk to me."

"Aiden," I sighed.

"Come on, Hailey, you know you can trust me," Aiden stated.

I looked at him carefully, it was obvious there were no hard feelings from earlier and Aiden only wanted to know what was going on. I sighed thinking quickly the more people I told the angrier Dean was going to be that he was out of the loop.

"Hailey," Aiden prompted.

"Okay, okay," I groaned. "Look it was a demon that came after me when I was a baby. His name is Azazel and is responsible for my telekinesis. He's been visiting my dreams lately. The last one was tonight where he left the bruise as a parting gift. That's all I know right now."

"God, Hailey," Aiden hissed.

"Somehow I don't think God has anything to do with this," I scoffed.

"That isn't funny, Hailey," Aiden scolded.

"I wasn't laughing," I replied. "Look, don't tell Dean and we can figure this out. In the mean time, we'll hunt until we find Dad. I have no doubt in my mind that he knows a lot more than we do."

"This is so messed up," Aiden groaned.

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly, big brother," I replied.

Somehow sleep suddenly seemed like it wasn't an option anymore but we tried anyway. Sleeping in a bed was much more comfortable than sleeping in the impala any day.


	8. Deterioration

**Chapter Eight: Deterioration**

"_Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family. "_

I didn't know what time it was when I finally woke up the next morning but I knew that it would be a later start then we normally liked when we were hunting. I got up and stretched before biting back a groan. Oh, shit, I forgot about my stomach. I got up and walked to the bathroom, kicking the door shut behind me. I lifted my shirt up annoyed to see that the bruise hadn't healed at all. I glared at my reflection, pulling my shirt off completely deciding to take another shower. It was a quick shower, mostly because there was barely any hot water left. I brushed my hair and left it down to dry as I slipped into an AC/DC shirt I stole from Dean and a pair of jeans.

I walked back into the main room and saw that Sam, Dean, and Aiden had ended up sleeping here. I smiled and laughed slightly, I hadn't even notice that Sam was sleeping in the same bed I was. I walked over to where I had placed my cell phone the night before. Just when I had flipped it open, Natasha called. Sometimes having a best friend who was clairvoyant was freaky.

"You know, Tasha, that's really freaking weird," I announced answering my phone.

"Like you have room to talk, Winchester," Natasha snarked back. "But, listen to me, do not go to Red Lodge."

"Why not?" I responded. "We're nearly half way there."

"Gordon Walker is already there," Natasha told me. "And you're needed in Colorado."

"What are you talking about?" I frowned.

"Daniel Elkins is dead," Natasha announced.

"You're kidding," I whispered.

"No," Natasha replied. "And he didn't die naturally either. Red Lodge is covered go to Manning, Colorado."

"We'll be there within the day," I stated.

"Be careful, Hails," Natasha pleaded.

"You too," I sighed.

I hung up the phone and stared at it for a second. The entire Winchester family owed Daniel Elkins a lot. He had taught Dad about hunting, who had in turn taught us. Even when he and Dad eventually had a falling out, he could always be trusted. He also was willing to help us out on occasion from anything from putting us up for the night to helping us find information.

"Guys!" I shouted.

Everyone jerked awake and looked at me in confusion.

"What time is it?" Dean groaned.

"Eleven," I responded.

"Wonderful," Dean muttered.

"Daniel Elkins died," I declared.

"What?" Sam gasped.

"I don't know anything else," I said.

"Alright, everyone pack your crap, we're going to Colorado." Dean ordered.

We all packed silently and were on our way to Colorado within the next fifteen minutes. The ride out was quiet, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I, for one, couldn't remember the last time we had even seen him. This just sucked I couldn't place my feelings, part of me grieved, the other part was angry what had gotten the drop on Elkins? Whatever it was, its days were numbered.

By the time the time we got to Manning, Colorado, the mood was incredibly depressing. It was a silent ride with not even music playing. Elkins lived in the woods of Manning away from everything and everyone. We parked along the private drive way and made our way up to the cabin on foot. Sam picked the lock and soon we were all in.

"Looks like the maid didn't come today," Dean snarked.

"Dude," Sam scolded.

"I found Elkins journal!" Aiden called.

"Damn, this thing dates back to the sixties," Dean whistled.

"We should take it," I suggested. "It could be helpful."

"We'll grab it on the way out," Sam said.

I nodded and walked around shinning my flashlight around looking for any possible leads. I pushed open the door to his study and winced. The entire place was ransacked. There were papers and books all over the floor, along with a bookcase blocking the door. My stomach rolled as I saw the blood all over the floor. I shinned the light up and saw that the skylight was broken, both windows.

"Guys!" I called.

"Looks like he put up a hell of a fight," Dean grimaced.

"And it looks like whatever attacked him, was more than one," Sam said.

I watched Dean crouch down and rub the floor. It looked like there were scratches all over the place.

"Death throws?" Aiden guessed.

"Maybe," Dean shrugged.

We all watched as Dean grabbed a piece of paper from the desk and place it on the floor before rubbing a pencil across the paper. He lifted it up and his expression darkened.

"Or maybe a message," Dean said before handing the paper to Sam, "Look familiar?"

"Three letters, six digits," Sam stated

"The location and combination of a post office box," Aiden said.

"A mail drop?" I scoffed.

"Just like Dad does it," Dean stated.

We all looked at each other and simultaneously shrugged. I saw Sam grab Elkin's journal before we ran out of the house and back to the impala. We headed back towards town, looking for the post office. When we found it, Sam and Dean went to find whatever could be in the post office box.

"This is so messed up," Aiden told me.

"I just can't believe he's dead," I sighed.

"Hey, you okay?" Aiden asked.

"I'm fine," I replied. "They're coming."

"JW?" Sam was saying as Sam and Dean got back into the impala. "You think? John Winchester?

I don't know," Dean muttered. "Should we open it?"

Before anyone could respond someone knocked on Dean's window. Dean jumped while the rest of us looked shocked.

"Dad?" I whispered.

It was my father alright and he had just appeared out of nowhere. Then, like he hadn't been missing for months, he slid into the back of the impala. I gave him some room slipping closer to Aiden. We all looked really confused at this point. Well, Sam looked shocked. The rest of us were confused.

"Dad?" Dean asked again.

"Hello boys, Hailey," Dad greeted.

"Dad, what's going on?" Aiden asked. "We've been looking for you, for months!"

"I heard the news about Daniel," Dad stated ignoring Aiden's question too which, Aiden turned to me and rolled his eyes. I shook my head. I might want to know what Dad had been doing all this time but I also wanted to know what had killed Daniel. "I got here as fast as I could. I saw the four of you up at his place."

"Why didn't you come in, Dad?" Sam asked.

"You know why," Dad explained. "I needed to make sure you guys weren't followed by anyone or anything. Nice job of covering your tracks by the way."

"We learn from the best," Dean smirked.

"I should look at that," Dad stated, indicating the letter in Dean's hand. "If you're reading this I'm already dead. That son of a bitch, he had it the whole time."

"What is it?" Dean asked.

"When you guys were searching the place did you see an antique? A colt revolver?" Dad questioned. "Did you see it?"

"There was an old case but it was empty," Dean answered.

"They have it," Dad growled.

"You mean whatever killed Elkins?" Dean prodded.

"We have to pick up the trail," Dad ordered getting out of the impala

"Wait," Sam called. "You want us to come with you?"

"If Elkins was telling the truth, we have to find this gun," Dad explained.

"The gun?" Aiden asked. "Why?"

"Because it's important," Dad answered. "That's why."

"But, we don't even know what these things are yet," Sam responded.

"They were what Daniel Elkin's killed best…Vampires," Dad stated.

"What?" I gasped.

"Vampires?" Dean repeated.

"I thought there was no such thing," Aiden said.

"You didn't even mention them, Dad," Sam whispered.

"I thought Elkins and others had wiped them out," Dad sighed. "I was wrong."

"Where are you going?" Aiden asked.

"I have a motel room," Dad said.

The car was once again silent as we followed after Dad's behemoth of a truck. We pulled off of at the first motel room we saw. Dean parked the impala next to the truck and we all unloaded our duffels and the weapons bag. Once we were all settled Aiden, Dean, Sam, and I lounged on the bed as Dad ran through what we all needed to know about Vampires. Crosses don't repel them, sunlight won't kill them, and neither will a stake to the heart. The bloodlust is true; they need fresh blood to survive. Vampires were once people so you won't know it's a vampire until it's too late.

"Then what does work Dad?" Aiden groaned.

"Cutting off its head," John grinned. "Now, you all should get some sleep."

There was really nothing too argue over with Dad. We needed sleep or at least I did. I leaned back resting my head on the pillow as Aiden settled in next to me. Sam and Dean were on the other bed and soon we were all fast asleep. Well, Dad was the only one awake. He was listening to the police scanner trying to find a lead on the vampires. After what may have been, only an hour or two we got something.

"Guys!" Dad called swatting at our feet to rouse us. "Let's go. I picked up a police call. "

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"A couple called 9-1-1, they found a body in the street. When the cops got there everyone was missing," Dad explained, "when police got there everyone was missing. It's the vampires."

"How do you know?" Sam questioned.

"Just follow me okay?" Dad replied.

I yawned as I got up pulling a zip up hoodie over my tee shirt. Sam and Aiden were putting on their jackets, while Dean was tying his boots.

"Vampires," Dean laughed. "Get's funnier every time I hear it."

We all piled into the impala as Dad got into the truck we followed the truck once more until we found the batch of police cars around where everyone went missing. We all got out of the car but unlike normal where we would question the police on what was going on together, Dad went by himself and Sammy wasn't pleased at all.

I was fine not talking to the cops as far as I was concerned they got in our way. The only laws we broke were to save other people; they didn't see it that way. I, also didn't like their superior than thou attitude, it was so annoying. So, when it looked like we'd be waiting longer than normal I climbed on the impala and sat on the roof, ignoring Dean's glares. I was one hundred twenty pounds soaking wet, I wasn't going to hurt the car by sitting on it. Dean rolled his eyes and went back to watching Dad.

"I don't see why we couldn't have gone over with him," Sam muttered.

"Are you kidding?" I groaned.

I honestly couldn't believe that Sam and Dad were already getting annoyed with each other. This had to be a new record or something.

"Hailey," Dean warned.

"What?" I demanded. "It's starting."

"What's starting?" Sam asked.

"Incoming," Aiden whispered.

We all turned and watched as Dad approached.

"What do we got?" Dean called.

"It's them all right," Dad said. "It looks like they're heading west. We have to double back to get around the detour."

"How can you be so sure?" Sam questioned.

"Sam," Dean reproached.

"I just want to be sure we're going in the right direction," Sam retorted.

"We are," Dad stated.

"How do you know?" Sam challenged.

"I found this," Dad said as he handed Dean something.

"It's a vampire fang?" Dean muttered.

"No, they have teeth the second set descends when they attack," Dad explained. "Any more questions?"

Sam didn't answer not that he could. I mean Dad had found proof of what he was saying. I still rolled my eyes, the whole interchange of Dad and Sam was very reminiscent of the hunts right before Sam went off to school. Dad would find information, Sam would challenge it, and then Dad would basically bite his head off. A very fun-working environment, really.

"All right, let's get out of here, we're losing daylight," Dad ordered. He looked up at my perch on top of the impala and frowned, "Hailey, get off of the car and Dean, why don't you touch up your car before it rusts? I wouldn't have given you the damn thing if I thought you were going to ruin it."

Dean and I exchanged irritated looks as I jumped down from the car. This was the exact reason why Sam mouthing off to Dad effected all of us: because it left Dad angry as hell and taking it out on the rest of us. Aiden and I slipped into the back seat as Sam and Dean got up front. We were once again following after the truck. This time we weren't mindlessly driving after Dad either Sam was driving while Dean was reading about vampires from Elkin's journal.

"Vampires nest in groups of eight to ten," Dean read. "Smaller groups are sent out to hunt for food. Victims are taken to the nest where the pack keeps them alive bleeding them for days or weeks. I wonder if that's what happened to that 9-1-1 couple."

"That's probably what Dad's thinking," Aiden shrugged.

"Of course, if he actually just told us what he thinks," Sam muttered.

"So, it is starting," Dean sighed.

"What?" Sam demanded. "What's starting?"

"Sam, we've been looking for Dad all year and now we're not with him for more then a couple of hours and there's static already?"

"No," Sam huffed.

"Yeah right," I muttered.

"Hailey," Dean warned.

"Look, I'm happy he's okay," Sam responded. "And, I'm happy we're all together."

"You have a funny way of showing it," I mumbled.

"_Hailey Jade,"_ Dean growled.

I stiffened because I was very familiar with that tone. It was almost an exact replica of Dad's when we was nearing the end of his patience levels. I knew then that it was better to keep my mouth shut, there were normally some very sore results if I pushed Dean any further than I had already.

"But," Sam continued shooting me a dark look, "It's just the way he treats us like we're children. He barks orders at us, Dean. He expects us to follow them without question. He keeps us on some crap need-to-know deal."

"He does what he does for a reason," Dean retorted.

"What reason?" Sam scoffed.

"Our job!" Dean responded. "There's no time to argue. No margin for error. It's just the way the old man runs things."

"Yeah, well, maybe it worked when we were all kids but not anymore," Sam fumed. "I mean are you telling me that you're cool just falling into line and letting him run the whole show?"

At that I looked at Dean and I could tell Aiden was too. We had all had our bouts of insubordination or at least Sam, Aiden, and I had. But, I couldn't recall one time where Dean fought against what Dad had ordered. It was actually a confusing situation and I rationalized it this way. If Dad and Dean both gave me an order but they were conflicting I'd probably be more likely to follow, Dean's order that than Dad's. Why? Well, Dean had been by my side through everything hunting or no. It had been Dean who gave me the Facts-of-Life talk; while it was completely awkward he did it anyway. He had, for as long as I could remember been the person I ran to when I got hurt or when Aiden was picking on me or when I just needed to be comforted, even when Dad was home I ran to Dean. Even though, Dad was still my father he wasn't really there for me when I was growing up but Dean always was. I knew without a doubt that Aiden and Sam probably felt the Sam way. Dean was like our father and older brother all wrapped up into one. It might've been messed up to some but Dad was more my drill sergeant, he trained us, molded us into good hunters and he did love us but I never really saw him, and that made all the difference in the world.

"If that's what it takes," Dean stated.

Aiden and I exchanged glances and I knew, right then, that I wasn't the only one who didn't believe that. Dean was loyal to Dad, we all were but Dad just didn't seem to notice that we were all hunters in our own right. Sure, we didn't have the experience Dad did but we were good. It was quiet for a while after that until Dean got a phone call. It was obvious that Dad was on the other line after a quick conversation; Dean hung up the phone and turned to Sam.

"Turn off at the next exit," Dean ordered.

"Why?" Sam hissed.

"Because Dad thinks we have the vampires trail," Dean shrugged obviously not catching the anger in Sam's voice or he chose to ignore it.

"How?" Sam insisted.

"I don't know, he didn't say," Dean answered.

Sam didn't say a word but I knew that didn't sit well with him. It was obvious from the way his fingers tightened on the steering wheel and he suddenly floored the engine passing Dad's truck completely. _'Okay, so maybe wants to be first off the exit?' I thought and hoped._ I was proven wrong when just as we were a few feet away from the truck, Sam swerved cutting Dad off completely, by blocking the road. Dad swerved just in time to avoid hitting us but Sam didn't let that slow him down because he was already out of the impala. Dad was climbing out of the truck and Aiden, Dean, and I were rushing to stop this whole thing.

"Oh, crap, here we go," Dean muttered before yelling, "Sam!"

"What the hell was that?" Dad demanded.

"We need to talk." Sam demanded once Dad had gotten close enough.

"About what?" Dad asked.

"About everything!" Sam shouted, "Where we going, Dad? What's the big deal about this gun? Where've you been this whole time?"

"Sammy, come on, we can Q and A after we kill all the vampires." Dean soothed.

It was exactly like every fight that Sam and Dad got into. It was dance that someone could set their watch by. Sam and Dad would start to go at it, Dean would attempt to diffuse the situation while Aiden and I watched helplessly, more often than not.

"Your brother's right, we don't have time for this." Dad responded.

"Bullshit!" Sam retorted. "We never have time, do we Dad? You disappear without any warning, except to leave Dean a message that we're all in danger and then you're missing for at least three months. You could've been dead, Dad! We were looking everywhere for you but you fell off the grid. Now, suddenly we're in the same place and it's obvious that something big is going down and we want to know what!"

"Sam!" Aiden complained

'_Great, way to throw the rest of us under the bus, Sammy,' I thought, 'Cause last I checked we weren't yelling at Dad, you were.'_

"Get back in the car." Dad ordered.

"No." Sam snapped.

Whoa, Sam had some major nerve stepping up to Dad when he was this pissed. If I wasn't completely terrified that I was about to be down a brother, I would've been impressed.

"I said get back in the damn car." Dad shouted.

Now, that was the original of the voice that Dean had used on me earlier. And Sam still wasn't backing down. This is where it crossed the line from brave into suicidal. Not a lot of people said 'no' to John Winchester and lived to tell the tale.

"Yeah. And I said no." Sam yelled

"All right, you made your point, tough guy," Dean intervened attempting to soothe and stop the fight, "Look, we're all tired. We can talk about this later. Sammy, I mean it, come on."

Dean pushed Sam backwards to the impala and I foolishly thought the fight was over. But nope, Sam just had to be the one to say the last word.

"This is why I left in the first place." Sam growled under his breath.

"What'd you say?" Dad demanded.

Sam turned back around to face Dad head on, "You heard me."

"Yeah. You left!" Dad screamed. "Your brothers, sister and I, we needed you. You walked away, Sam, you walked away!" He grabbed at Sammy's shirt.

"Stop it, both of you!" Dean snapped.

"You were the one who told me not to come back, Dad. You're the one who closed that door, not me! You were just pissed off you couldn't control me anymore!" Sam shouted looking close to tears.

"Stop it!" I cried.

I gasped when Sam and Dad went flying back to land be pinned against the impala and the truck. It was obviously no doing of there's because Sam and Dad still looked like they wanted to tear into each other. That's when I realized what had happened. I had gotten so upset over the fight that my powers had intervened. Oh, god, oh shit, oh no.

I looked at Aiden who really wasn't surprised after all; I had thrown him into a wall before. Sam already knew, as did Dad. That left Dean. I turned and cautiously looked at Dean, he seemed shocked and confused.

"Hailey," Dad called sounding more like my father instead of the man who had been screaming at Sam moments before. "Baby, it's okay."

"What?" Dean growled before turning to me, "You did that?"

I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe. Dean still looked more confused than anything but I could sense that this whole thing didn't sit right with him. And I knew it wouldn't. I couldn't help it I burst into tears. With the range of emotions I was feeling my abilities didn't know how to react, or so it seemed because the force field or whatever that was keeping Sam and Dad away from each other fell away.

"Hailey, it's okay," Dad soothed.

"You all knew about this?" Dean demanded turning from confused to angry in a tenth of a second. "All of you?"

"Son we'll talk about this later," Dad replied.

I didn't see Dean's reaction to that because despite my best intentions I burst into tears. Without thinking about where I was or what exactly was out there, I turned and ran. I should say try to run because Aiden intercepted me almost immediately. I squirmed in his grasp for a few moments then gave up my squirming instead to cry into Aiden's chest. Aiden squeezed me tightly, his arms firmly around me as he murmured nonsensical things to calm me down.

But there was no calming me down. I had tried my hardest to keep this new part of me a secret only for it to just come out anyway. Dean was never going to look at me the same way. I had screwed everything up.


	9. Fear in the Unexpected

**Chapter Nine: Fear in the Unexpected**

"_Most people are stronger than they know. They just forget to believe in it sometimes."_

I had messed up so badly this time. So, much so that I was in Dad's truck as the impala trailed behind us. From the look on Dean's face he wasn't even close to happy that he'd have to wait even longer for explanations on what exactly had happened back there. But, we had job to do and we should finish it before Dean tries to kill me.

Dad seemed to know exactly where the vampires were. It was in the middle of broad daylight, so while vampires wouldn't die from sun exposure it still hurt them. We were staking out the barn when we saw an old mustang pull up. The door opened and a guy with shaggy black hair held open the door.

"Son of a bitch," Dean hissed. "They're really not afraid of the sun."

"They do sleep during the day," Dad told us. "But that doesn't mean they won't wake up."

"So, I guess walking right in isn't our best option," Dean scoffed.

"Actually," Dad smirked. "That's the plan."

I fought an eye roll at that. Dad could be very hypocritically when he wanted to be. After all, God help us if we're reckless on a hunt. But, if Dad feels nearly suicidal, hey, that's okay. It was annoying but just another way the old man ran things. We got up out of our crouches and walked back to the car. Aiden handed me a machete before lacing his through his belt loops. Sam mirrored him, while Dean already had his good to go.

"Hey, Dad, we have another machete if you need one," Dean offered.

"Think I'm okay," Dad smiled, "Thanks."

"Whoa," Dean breathed.

Whoa was right. Dad's truck was amazing it was sleek and safely hidden. The weapons case was extremely organized and hidden in a briefcase like thing. It made the impala look like a disorganized mess, which it was. Then again Dad always was ten times more organized than the rest of us, granted he was one person to our four, making it ten times easier to stay organized.

"So, you kids really wanna know about this colt?" Dad asked.

"Yes, sir," Sam replied, answering for all of us.

"It's just a story," Dad started, "A legend really. Well, I thought it was. I never really believed it until I read Daniel's letter. Back in 1835 and Hailey's comet was overhead, the same night those men died at the Alamo, Samuel Colt made a gun, a special gun. He made it for a hunter, a man like us only on horseback. The story goes he made thirteen bullets. This hunter used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared the gun along with him. Somehow, Daniel got his hands on it. They say this gun can kill anything."

"Kill anything like Supernatural anything?" Dean asked.

"Like the demon?" Sam responded.

"Yeah, like the demon," Dad said. "Ever since I picked up its trail, I've been looking for a way to destroy that thing. Find the gun, we may have it."

It was a weird thing after eighteen whole years of looking for this thing and ways to kill it; we could finally find a breakthrough. I didn't know quite how to feel but I wouldn't feel anything until Azazel was dead. Until then we had a nest of vampires. We waited an hour before making our way towards the barn. Dad gently pushed open these wooden windows and climbed through. Sam followed, then Aiden, then Dean, then me.

There were hammocks everywhere. I counted at least nine vampires. Luckily they were all sleeping. We moved around scooping out the place as Dad went on ahead. I was watching where I stepped when I saw Dean's foot hit a bottle. He moved quickly bumping into a sleeping vampire in the process. Luckily the vampire didn't wake up.

"Dean!" Sam whispered.

All three of us spun around to look at Sam. He was crouched down next to a girl who had blood all over the front of her. As Sam was untying her I saw a cage and gestured to Dean. Dean walked over and attempted to open the cage, breaking one of the hinges as quietly as he could. Aiden was covering Dean's back while I covered Sam. I watched as the girl began to stir.

"Hey, hey," Sam soothed. "I'm here to help you."

What happened next was not something we had anticipated. She began screaming at the top of her lungs, voice high pitched and grating. That was definitely something we didn't want to happen.

"Sam!" Dean shouted as the vampires woke up.

"Hails!" Aiden called grabbing my wrist.

"Guys, run!" came Dad's voice.

We reacted instantaneously each of us bursting into a dead sprint towards the entrance. The vampires were following us but once we hit the outside we were home free. We darted back towards the woods only stopping when Dean did.

"Dad?" Dean called, when Dad didn't answer his voice got more frantic, "Dad!"

I smacked Dean's arm drawing his attention to where Dad was running towards us. We moved to get into the car when Dad's voice stopped us.

"They won't follow," Dad said. "They'll wait 'til tonight. Once a vampire gets your scent it's for life."

"What the hell do we do know?" Dean asked.

"You find the nearest funeral home," Dad responded. "That's what."

"Dad?" Aiden asked.

"Dead man's blood is like poison to them," Dad explained. "Hailey, Dean, find the nearest funeral home. Aiden and Sam, you're coming back to the room with me."

"Is that a good idea?" Sam asked.

"Sure, Sammy," Dean grinned but that smile was far from friendly.

I didn't have any other choice but to get in the impala. I climbed into the passenger seat as Dean got into the drivers side. We had seen the funeral home on the way into town so it wasn't all that hard to find it again. I abruptly found us stopped in a random parking lot near the funeral home.

"Get out of the car," Dean ordered.

"Dean, I…" I began.

"Now," Dean snapped.

Were we really about to have this showdown in a parking lot? Granted it was an almost deserted parking lot but still. That was one of the most annoying things about living life on the road. Sometimes family disagreements took place in public where any one could see. In the past eighteen years of my life, I had been chewed out and swatted in public along with my brothers and no matter how old I got, it was embarrassing especially if someone actually saw.

It would be absolutely suicidal to ignore Dean's order now. But, before I could obey the order Dean had ripped open my door and grabbed me, lifting me out of the car only to slam me against it seconds later. The air whooshed out of my lungs before I could even gasp.

"Dean," I whimpered. "Please I can explain."

"Really?" Dean yelled. "You can explain what happened back there?"

"I…"

"Or can you explain the fact that Dad, Sam, and Aiden seem pretty damn okay with the fact that Dad and Sam were thrown into cars when no one was touching either of them?"

"I…uh..."

"Or just maybe you can explain to me why I'm the only one who doesn't know what the fuck that was back there!" Dean yelled getting centimeters away from my face.

"Dean," I whispered.

"You said you can explain so explain," Dean growled.

"Can you, uh, put me down?" I asked.

"No," Dean growled. "Now tell me what the fuck is going on?"

"I don't know much but what I do know is that there are others like me," I sighed. "Sometimes the demon, Azazel, visits my dreams, he says that he has plans for me and children like me."

"And?" Dean prodded.

"Aiden found out when I threw him against the wall when he was about to beat my boyfriend's face in," I muttered. "Dad knew all along and I told Sam back at that motel room a day or two ago."

"You weren't going to tell me were you?" Dean asked.

"No, I was just waiting for the right time," I responded.

"Oh," Dean growled. "Because Aiden told me that you said that he wasn't allowed to say anything because what was it? Oh, right, that I only see things in black or white and you would be shades of gray."

"Dean…I…"

"Shut up, Hailey," Dean ordered. "And listen closely. You're my little sister, there isn't anything that's going to change that. But, so help me god, if you keep something like this from me again, you'll regret it."

"I'm sorry," I sighed.

Dean rolled his eyes before grabbing my wrist and pulling me into his chest. I snuggled into him for a moment before I took a step backwards and followed Dean into the funeral home. We had a lot of time to kill apparently it took a little while to bleed the dead person.

"You think this is enough?" Dean asked.

I looked over at the bottle in Dean's hand and grimaced, "Yeah, probably."

"Then let's go," Dean shrugged.

I ran after Dean as we floored it back to the motel room. When we arrived I saw that Sam, Aiden, and dad were obviously talking about something when we walked in. Especially since it stopped once we walked in.

"What took you so long?" Dad asked frowning at us.

"You will not believe the amount of security they have," Dean smirked.

"Yeah, I mean they're already dead," I laughed.

"Did you get it?" Dad prodded.

"Of course," Dean replied putting the bottle of blood on the best.

"You know what to do," Dad said.

That was when we all started getting ready. Aiden, Sam, and I loaded the cross bows making sure to dip every one in the dead man's blood. Once all the crossbows were set and the machetes were back on our waists we drove out to a random street. I waited in the woods along with Sam, Aiden, and Dad as Dean pretended to be checking the engine of the impala. Our trap worked hook, line, and sinker as we saw three vampires approach.

"Car trouble?" The girl vampire asked. "Let me give you a lift. Take you back to my place."

"I'll pass," Dean smirked. "I normally draw the line at necrophilia."

"Ooh," The girl vampire hissed before backhanding Dean across the jaw. Before Dean could rise she grabbed him around the jaw and hoisted him up.

"I normally don't get this friendly until the second date," Dean snarked, "but…"

"We could have some fun," The girl vampire laughed. "I always enjoy making new friends."

The vampire then brought Dean back down and kissed him soundly.

"Sorry, I don't stay with a chick that long," Dean replied. "Definitely not eternity."

That was when we all reacted shooting one arrow at each vampire.

"Damn it," The girl growled. "Barely even stings."

"Give it time, sweet heart," Dad smirked. "Arrow's soaked in dead man's blood. It's like poison to you isn't it?"

Just like magic the girl swayed on her feet, falling backward before Dean caught her.

"Load her up," Dad ordered. "I'll take care of this one."

Dad then spun around taking his machete out of its holder. I watched as he looked at the vampire quizzically before dealing the deathblow that left the vamp without a head. Dad then met us by where the impala and the truck where waiting. Dean had already put the vampire in Dad's truck.

"Stash this on the fire," Dad told me. "It's saffron, skunks, cabbage, and trillium, it'll block our scent and hers until we're ready."

"Ugh, Dad, this stuff smells like Aiden's feet," I grimaced.

"Hey!" Aiden growled.

"You're right it reeks," Sam winced.

"Dust your clothes with the ashes, and you'll stand a chance of not being detected," Dad replied.

I tossed it on the fire and fought my gagging reflex as the whole place began to smell.

"You sure this will work?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Dad nodded. "Vampires mate for life. She means more to the leader than the gun. But the blood sickness will wear off soon. So, you don't have a lot of time."

"A half hour ought to do it," Sam responded.

"Then I want you out of the area as fast as you can," Dad ordered.

"But…" Sam started.

"Whoa, Dad you can't take care of them all yourself," Dean interrupted.

"I'll have her and the colt," Dad said.

"But after?" Sam asked. "We're going to meet up right? Use the gun together? Right?"

Dad looked away and in doing so answered Sam's question. He wasn't planning on us being together for the big fight, he wanted to do it himself.

"You're leaving again," Aiden whispered.

"You can't treat us like this!" I cried.

"Like what?" Dad asked.

"Like children," Sam said.

"You are my children," Dad replied. "I'm trying to keep you safe."

"Dad with all due respect but, uh, that's a bunch of crap," Dean said.

I think that my eyes bugged out of my head when Dean said that. Dean never stood up to Dad like that. Insubordination was more Sam's area of expertise than Dean. I looked back to see Dad's reaction and saw that he wasn't digging the new and improved attitude of Dean Winchester very much. Dean had never respected authority figures, Dad being one of the only exceptions and now it seemed that even with respect, Dean wasn't going to blindly follow Dad anymore.

"Excuse me?" Dad growled.

"You know what we've been hunting," Dean continued. "Hell, before Sam and Aiden came back you were quick to push Hailey and I into all kind of hunts. You can't be that worried about keeping us safe."

"It's not the same thing, Dean," Dad sighed.

"Then what is it?" Dean asked. "Why do you want us out of this fight?"

"This demon is a bad son of a bitch," Dad explained. "I can't make the same moves if I'm worried about keeping all of you alive."

"You mean you can't be as reckless," Dean fired back.

"Look, I don't expect to make it out of this fight in one piece," Dad said. "Your mother's death damn near tore me apart. I can't watch my children die too. I won't."

"What happens if you die?" I whispered.

"Dad, what happens if you die and we could've done something?" Aiden continued.

"I've been thinking," Dean said. "Sammy's right on this one. We should do this together. We're stronger as a family. We just are, you know it."

"We're running out of time," Dad growled. "You do your jobs and you get out of the area. That's an order."

I frowned, knowing that no matter how much Dean's attitude towards Dad had changed, our father could still shut us down with an order, especially a direct one. I followed my brothers to the impala as we began to drive back to the woods by the barn. We watched as Dad's truck drove on the nearby interstate. It only took a few minutes for some of the vampires to leave and then we were ready to go.

We broke in the same way we had earlier that day. We all gathered together and Dean indicated that we should split up. Nodding we all moved different ways. I had my machete out and at the ready when I heard Dean say, 'Boo'. I rolled my as I walked back to the cage that dean had found. Aiden and Sam were already there and waiting. Sam took the crowbar and broke the rest of the hinges.

Once the door was open we helped the seven people in there. After making sure that they were okay and conscious we called for an ambulance. As we were walking back to the car, Aiden stopped us.

"We can't just leave Dad all by himself," Aiden said.

"He ordered us too," I replied.

"So what?" Aiden demanded. "We're stronger as a family and he will need our help."

"Let's go," Dean shrugged.

We all crawled into the impala traveling on the same interstate that Dad was on earlier. We parked far enough away that we could ambush the vampires. Armed once again with crossbows we arrived on the scene just in time to see Dad get thrown against the open door. The window shattered on impact, not that it mattered, what did matter was the fact that Dad wasn't getting up.

Dean raised his arm then lowered it forward. The order was clear, attack now. I fired my cross bow at the two vampires close to me while Dean, Sam, and Aiden fired at the other vampires. I went to attack the leader when he knocked me flat on my ass. Before I recovered he grabbed me turning me so that my back was against my chest as his arm was slowly strangling me. Aiden lunged grabbing my fallen machete.

"Don't I'll break her neck," The vampire threatened. "Put the blade down."

Aiden looked at Dean and Sam who slowly nodded. Aiden dropped the machete, instead choosing to glare at the vampire that had me in his grip.

"You people. Why can't you just leave us alone? We have as much right to live as you do."

"I don't think so," Dad growled.

The vampire turned and because he was still holding me I turned to. I reacted once I noticed that Dad had the colt. Was Dad about to waste a bullet on this vampire just because he was trying to kill me? I prayed this worked as I focused hard. I knew it was working when the vampire's hold slipped. I flung him into the ground. I saw the machete in the air and caught it before chopping off the vampire's head. All of this happened in the space of two minutes.

"Luther!" The girl vampire screamed glaring at me furiously.

"No, Kate!" Another vampire cried grabbing Kate's arm and pushing her into the car. They took off leaving us alone.

"Hailey Jade, what the hell were you thinking?" Dad demanded.

"You were about to waste a bullet on me," I responded. "I reacted as fast as I could."

"Let's clean all this up," Dad replied, glaring at me for a second.

Twenty minutes later the bodies were burned, leaving absolutely no trace of what had happened. We were packing up at the motel when Dad came in the room. The taillights of the truck glowed behind him as he opened the door.

"So, guys," Dad started walking fully into the room.

We all turned around from backing our duffels to face our father. It wasn't a time to laugh or smile with the look on Dad's face but I found it amusing that we were facing him in age order going from Dean to me.

"Yes, sir?" Sam asked.

"You ignored a direct order back there," Dad stated.

"Yes, sir," Sam said again.

"We saved your ass," Dean responded.

Wow, Dean really was embracing this new attitude of his. My jaw almost dropped to the floor and then it really did when Dad didn't explode.

"You're right." Dad sighed

"I am?" Dean asked.

"He is?" Aiden and I gasped.

"It scares the hell out of me," Dad continued. "You four are all I got but I guess we are stronger as a family. So, we go after this damn thing, together."

"Yes, sir," We all chorused unable to hide our smiles.

Dad watched as we finished packing, the room's atmosphere wasn't something I had encountered before. It wasn't tense but it wasn't calm either. The air was literally shimmering with anticipation. We had the colt, we were all together, and now all we had to do was find the demon and gank him before it could destroy any other family.


	10. Know Your Enemy

**Chapter Ten: Know Your Enemy**

"_Does this darkness have a name? This cruelty, this hatred, how did it find us? Did it steal into our lives or did we seek it out and embrace it? What happened to us that we now send our children into the world like we send young men to war, hoping for their safe return, but knowing that some would be lost along the way? When did we lose our way? Consumed by the shadows. Swallowed whole by the darkness. Does this darkness have a name? Is it your name?"_

We set up home base in Manning, Colorado. We weren't on the run from anything major and it seemed as good of a place as any to hold up as we learned whatever Dad knew about Azazel.

"This is everything," Dad said.

I bit back a sarcastic comment. Papers literally lined one of the walls of the motel room. Different maps, weather reports, mythology, and a huge map of the US. Dad was prepared, not a lot of people can get this kind of information together. Then again, not a lot of people were like John Winchester.

"This is everything I know," Dad continued. "We've spent our entire lives searching for this demon, right? Not a trace, just nothing until about a year ago. For the first time, I picked up a trail."

"That's when you took off." Dean guessed.

"Yeah, that's right. The demon must have come out of hiding or hibernation." Dad said.

"What about the trail?" Aiden asked

"It starts in Arizona, then New Jersey, California, houses burning down to the ground. It's going after families exactly like it went after us," Dad explained.

"Families with infants?" Sam asked.

"Yeah" Dad nodded. "The night of the kid's six-month birthday."

"I was six months old that night?" I whispered.

"Exactly six months," Dad said.

I could feel my brother's exchange looks with each other. While Sam has abilities too it was me who led the demon back to visit the Winchester family. Only this time he took our mother.

"So, basically, this demon is going after these kids for some reason, the same way it came for me? So, Mom's death, all of this, is because of me?" I whispered.

"We don't know that," Dean replied.

"Really?" I growled. "Because I'd say we're pretty damn sure, Dean."

"What happened to mom was not your fault," Aiden snapped.

"Yeah, you're right, it's not my fault, but it's my problem!" I shouted.

"No, it's not your problem, it's our problem!" Sam retorted sharply.

"That's enough," Dad ordered.

We all visibly deflated and just like that the fight was over. Even though I could tell that each of my brothers was irritated at what I had said, we refocused on the task of hand.

"So, why is it doing it?" Sam asked. "What does it want?"

"I wish I had more answers, I do, I've always been one step behind it," Dad sighed. "I've never gotten there in time to save…"

"How do we find it before it hits again?" Dean questioned.

"There's signs," Dad explained. "It took me a while to see the pattern, but in the days before these fires signs crop up in an area, cattle deaths, temperature fluctuations, electrical storms. And I went back and checked, and…"

"The same thing happened in Lawrence," Aiden whispered.

"The week before your mother died," Dad said. "And, these signs, they're starting again?"

"Where?" Sam asked.

"Salvation, Iowa," Dad said.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Dean stated. "Let's get a move on."

We all grabbed our duffels and walked out to the car. Once we were loaded up, I went back and helped Dad take down all the papers. Once they were all put away safely I followed Dad back out of the motel room. Only Dad got into his truck and I climbed into the backseat of the impala.

It was another silent ride as we followed Dad into Iowa. It seemed like we were all getting our game faces on, after all this was the big hunt, the one we've been waiting for. Just when we were nearing Salvation, Dad pulled his truck over to the shoulder of the road. Dean followed after him and we all got out of the car.

"Damn it," Dad growled.

"What is it?" Dean asked.

"Son of a bitch!" Dad hissed.

"Dad, what's wrong?" I questioned.

"I just got a call from Caleb," Dad told us.

"Is he okay?" Dean asked.

"He's fine," Dad whispered. "Jim Murphy is dead."

"Pastor Jim?" Sam clarified.

"How?" Aiden asked.

"Throat was slashed, he bled out," Dad sighed. "Caleb said they found traces of sulfur at Jim's place."

"A demon?" Aiden whispered.

"The demon?" Dean questioned.

"I don't know," Dad sighed, sadly. "Could be he just got careless, he slipped up. Maybe the demon knows we're getting close."

"What do we do now?" Sam asks.

"Now we act like every second counts," Dad stated. "There are two hospitals and a health center in this county. We'll split up and cover more ground. I want records. I want a list of every infant that's going to be sixth months old in the next week."

"Dad, that could be dozens of kids," Sam protested. "How the hell are we gonna know which one's the right one?"

"We'll check 'em all, that's how," Dad retorted. "You got any better ideas.

"No, sir," Sam frowned.

My brothers and father turned to go back into our separate cars, when I saw Dad still.

"Dad?" I called.

I waited for a moment but Dad turned back to face us. For just a second you could see his game face slip, and that scared the crap out of me. But, it was Jim Murphy, who we've known for years and years, maybe even longer than Missouri. It was because of Matt Murphy; pastor Jim's brother that we met Pastor Jim originally, mostly because Matt married Hilary Winchester. My father's older sister. Together, Matt and Hilary hunted together they also had given birth to Charlotte Emily Murphy. She's the same age as Aiden; she is also invested in the family business. But, unlike the family she hunts by herself, and Dad hasn't been able to convince her to do otherwise. Anyway, Charlotte, otherwise known as Charlie, has tied my family and hers together, which was why Jim's death hit me hard. I could tell it hit Dad too and most likely my brothers, as well.

"Yeah," Dad cleared his throat, "It's Jim. You know, I can't…"

I tried to take a step closer to my father but I felt Aiden's grip on the back of my shirt.

"This ends, now. I'm ending it. I don't care what it takes," Dad growled.

Before anyone could comment, Dad had gotten back in the truck and slammed the door. I didn't look at any of my brothers as we got back in the impala and headed into town. While it was quiet on the way to Salvation, it was dead silent now. It was at times like this where silence really wasn't helping, it gave me too much room to think.

Dad had said it best. It was Jim and we just, we couldn't. I never thought that Jim would die, let alone from a demon attack. He might've been family but it was no reason to include him on any of his. And what about Charlie she had lost so much. Almost, on cue, my phone began to ring. I pulled it open and answered it.

"Hello?" I whispered.

"Hailey?" Charlie's voice whimpered. "He's dead."

"I know," I sniffed.

The heartbreaking tone of Charlie's voice was weakening the last of my reserves trying not to cry.

"Who did this?" Charlie whispered. "They stole the last of my family."

"We're still here," I responded.

"And, I love you guys, but it's different," Charlie cried. "I just…I can't."

"Charlie, please," I pleaded.

Charlie didn't say a word instead I heard her begin to cry softly. That was my undoing; I began to sob along with Charlie. That was until Charlie disconnected the line and I was just rest crying by myself.

"Hailey," Aiden soothed. "Hailey, it's going to be okay."

I continued to cry and it looked as though Dean was about to pull over but Aiden shook his head quickly, saying 'I got it.' Before I could react, Aiden had pulled me across the seat and into his lap. I turned burrowing into his chest as I continued to cry. Aiden rubbed my back as I buried my face into the crook of his neck.

"It's okay," Aiden whispered. "We're going to set this right."

As I calmed back down I noticed that we had stopped out of one of the hospitals.

"Okay," Dean sighed. "Aiden I will cover the health center. You and Sam will cover the other hospital."

"Okay," I responded getting out of the car along with Sam. Aiden squeezed my wrist and I gave him a small smile. He nodded before climbing in the front seat to sit with Dean.

Sam and I watched the impala leave the parking lot. I closed the distance between Sam and I and we soon found ourselves in one of the back rooms starring at piles of folders.

"Here you go, officers," A receptionist smiled giving us even more folders.

"Thank you," Sam smiled.

I rolled my eyes as we went through every file as per Dad's request.

"You okay?" Sam asked, quietly.

"Yeah," I shrugged. "It's just, I never expected to lose Jim this soon or at all."

"I know," Sam sighed. "It sucks. He was my favorite person to stay with when Dad went on hunts. He was the best Uncle we could ask for."

"Yeah," I whispered.

It went back to being quiet as Sam and I went through birth certificate after birth certificate. After about another hour or so we were finished and ready to meet with Dean and Aiden. Just when we got to the street, I heard Sam moan.

"Sammy?" I asked turned back around to look at him.

He stopped walking completely, wincing and grimacing in pain. I watched as Sam crouched down massaging his temples.

"Sam?" I said again laying my hand on his shoulder but he was completely unresponsive. Judging by the dazed look in his eye he was having a vision. When it stopped Sam took off his backpack and pulled a map out.

"Train…" Sam murmured.

"Sam?" I called as Sam began walking again.

I had no choice but to follow after him. I had no idea where my brother was going, only knowing that Dean was going to kill us for moving from where we were supposed to be. I noticed that a women with a stroller was walking down the street. I smiled but my smile fell as Sam quickly crossed the street and greeted the woman.

"Sammy, what are you doing?" I hissed.

"Hi," Sam greeted the woman. He held the baby carriage the woman closed her umbrella. Don't ask me what he was doing, I was still at a loss. I smiled at the women, who smiled back at me. When she turned away I glared at Sam. What was he doing?

"Thanks," The woman responded.

"She's gorgeous," Sam smiled down at the baby. "Is she yours."

"Yup," The woman smiled lovingly down at the baby.

"Oh, wow," Sam sighed, "Hi, I'm sorry, I'm rude. I'm Sam, this is Hailey. We just moved in up the block."

"Oh, hey, I'm Monica," Monica said. "This is Rosie."

Sam and I quickly shook her hand as I gave Sam a what-the-hell look.

"Rosie?" I smiled. "Hi, Rosie."

"Welcome to the neighborhood," Monica said.

"Thank you," Sam replied. "She's such a good baby."

"I know," Monica beamed. I mean, she never cries. She just stares at everybody. Sometimes she looks at you, and I swear, it's like she's reading your mind."

"What about you, Monica?" Sam asked. "Have you lived here long?"

"My husband I, we bought our place just before Rosie was born," Monica explained.

"How old is she?" I questioned.

"Six months today," Monica grinned. "It's big, right? Growing like a weed."

I didn't catch the end of the conversation. I realized that Sam must have had a vision and Monica and Rosie were involved. I quickly called Dean. He and Aiden had just finished, as did Dad.

"Dean, we know where the demon will be," I said.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

"I, uh, think it will be better to explain it when we're on together," I replied.

"Hailey," Dean growled.

"Just trust me," I growled. "And pick us up…please."

Fifteen minutes later we were all in the motel room. It was the average motel room. Dad was leaning against the counter of the kitchenette. Dean was on one of the beds, Aiden was on the other. I was across the table from Sam.

"A vision?" Dad questioned

"Yes, I saw the demon burning a women on the ceiling," Sam sighed.

"And you think it's gonna happen to this women you met because?" Dad prodded.

"They happen exactly as I see them," Sam explained.

"They started out as nightmares, and then he started having them when he was awake," I told my father, Sam, and Aiden.

"It's like the closer I get to anything involving the demon, the stronger the visions get," Sam whispered.

"All right, when were you going to tell me about this?" Dad demanded.

"Aiden and I had an idea that this was happening," Dean said. "We weren't sure. It seems like Sam and Hailey kept their abilities a secret."

Sam and I exchanged guilty glances.

"Something like this happens to either of you," Dad fumed. "You pick up the phone, and you call me."

"What?" I scoffed. "With what number? You fell off the grid completely. Besides it seems like you already know about my abilities, I'm willing to bet you knew about Sam's too."

"Hailey Jade, I don't have to explain my actions to you," Dad warned.

"Look, visions or no visions, the fact is, we know the demon is coming tonight. And this family's gonna go through the same hell that we went through."

"No, they're not," Dad responded. "No one is, ever again."

Suddenly, Aiden's cell phone begins to ring. We all look at him in confusion but he avoids our gaze. He opens the phone and by the quick conversation, it wasn't someone he wanted to talk to. The conversation didn't get anymore pleasant as Aiden handed the phone to Dad, after saying that he hadn't seen him.

"This is John," Dad said. "I don't know what you're talking about. Caleb? Caleb!"

My brothers and I stood up looking at Dad in concern. I could tell from the way Dad's voice changed that whatever happened to Caleb wasn't good.

"I'm going to kill you," Dad seethed. "You know that?"

At this I looked at Aiden asking him who was on the phone but he shook his head at me.

"I said okay," Dad growled. "I'll bring you the Colt."

When Dad hung up the phone he immediately went to Aiden.

"Who the hell was that?" Dad demanded.

"A girl I met at Stanford," Aiden responded.

"Liar," Sam growled.

"Shut up, Sam," Aiden retorted.

"Aiden?" Dad growled. "How did you meet this girl?"

"I went on a hunt by myself," Aiden whispered. "It was a few months before Dean came and got us. It was a simple possession I sent the demon back to hell. But, it clawed its way back out. It's parading around as Meg Masters. She was in my Physics class."

"And, now she's killing our friends," Dad growled.

"Dad, what did she say?" Sam asked.

"I'm going to Lincoln," Dad stated.

"What?" Dean demanded.

"It doesn't seem like I have a choice," Dad responded. "If I don't go, a lot of people die. Our friends die."

"Dad, the demon is coming tonight for Monica and her family," Sam said. "That gun is all we've got. You can't just hand it over."

"Who said anything about handing it over?" Dad scoffed. "Look, besides us and a couple vampires, no one's really seen the gun. No one knows what it looks like."

"So, what. You're just gonna pick up a ringer at a pawn shop?" Dean asked.

"Antique store," Dad corrected.

"You're gonna hand Meg a fake gun and hope she doesn't notice?" Dean continued.

"Look, as long as it's close, she shouldn't be able to tell the difference," Dad shrugged.

"Yeah, but for how long?" Dean groaned. "What happens when she figures it out?"

"I just, I need to buy a few hours, that's all," Dad explained.

"You mean for us?" Sam said. "You want us to stay here and kill this demon by ourselves?"

I looked at Dad completely horrified. When Dad didn't immediately argue against that point I realized that it was exactly what Dad needed to buy. He needed time for us to do what we all wanted to do.

"No, Sam, I want to stop losing people we love," Dad retorted, after a moment. "I want you and Aiden to go to school, I want Dean to have a home, and I want Hailey to be a normal teenager."

Dad then turned his back on us as his voice became choked with tears, "I want Mary alive. I just…I just want this to be over."

We all looked at each other and that's when I realized that all of us were on the same page. We just wanted this to be over. So, what if we were good at it. It was no way to live a live. But, somewhere deep down inside I knew that this was what we were meant to do, no matter what.

I looked at my brothers as we all got up. After another brief interchange, Dad had packed up giving us some excuse of needing to take care of a few things. Once dad left, I felt the air stiffen up. I thought for a moment, realizing that the air felt familiar and it wasn't a familiarity. There were a few times, hell, a lot of times where Sam, Aiden, and I would disobey some sort of order, or something, and then that's when the explosion happened. After all, it might've been Dad's rules we broke but it was to Dean that we normally had to answer too. And that answer was normally not just a stern talking to.

I risked a glance at Dean and saw, with a sinking feeling in my stomach, that feeling was well founded. I wondered, vaguely if my cohorts in crime had realized it yet. It took a few more minutes to register with the college boys and when it did, Dean reacted.

"All of you sit down," Dean ordered sharply. "Now."

"Dean…I," I tried to intercept. After all we had a fake gun to retrieve.

"Sit," Dean growled staring right at me, with furious green eyes.

I gulped and sat down in between Sam and Aiden. Well, if this wasn't feeling disturbingly familiar than I didn't know what would. Dean stood in front of us, looking for all the world like an upset father, which, I guess, he was.

I fought to figure out what I had done. Oh, right, the whole hiding my abilities thing. And, then hiding Sam's. And, then, Aiden had hidden a hunt from all of us, breaking the most important rule of all, we don't hunt by ourselves. The kicker to all of this was that I had already been chewed out in hiding my abilities, or so I thought.

"What the hell is the matter with you guys?" Dean demanded. "Huh? You all are keeping secrets from me?"

"Dean, we're…" Aiden tried

"Stop right there, junior," Dean interrupted.

Then, just like any other group scolding the first who had spoken after we had all sat down was the first to be chewed out. It wasn't a nice, calm conversation. It was just the way, Dean and Dad ran things, sometimes, and it wasn't nice or coddling. But, unlike Dad, Dean knew when to employ different tactics.

"You went on a hunt by yourself?" Dean demanded glaring at Aiden, who visibly recoiled. "Have you lost your fucking mind?"

"It was only a possession," Aiden responded.

"Only?" Dean repeated, before shouting, "Only?"

"Dean, don't you…" Sam started.

"No," Dean said turning his attention to Sam. "Wait your turn, Sammy, I'll get to you in a minute."

When Sam sighed and averted his gaze, Dean turned his attention back to Aiden.

"I had my facts straight," Aiden explained. "It was a quick in and out. No big deal, really."

"You don't hunt by yourself," Dean growled. "We taught you to be safe. You're not safe, if you go into a possession by yourself. Or did you not see what that possessed demon did to your sister?"

"That's not the same thing!" Aiden protested.

"Really?" Dean growled.

"Yeah, that demon kidnapped, Hailey!" Aiden snapped. "I surprised that demon, exorcising it before it even knew what happened."

"Why didn't you ask Sam to help you?" Dean responded.

"He was swamped with classes," Aiden whispered. "And I knew that I could handle it by myself."

"You're lucky, Aiden, someone could've gone very, very wrong," Dean lectured.

"I'm sorry, Dean," Aiden sighed.

"Don't pull something like that again, we clear?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Aiden said.

"Aiden get the gun that Dad wanted," Dean ordered.

"What?" Aiden responded. "That isn't fair. They got to see me get yelled at."

"They'll be seeing a lot more of the same if you don't move your ass," Dean remarked, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

Aiden, for his part, grumbled under his breath, as he got his coat on and went to get the gun. I heard a remark about how he was twenty-one years old not twelve, but then again age didn't seem to pull much of anything around here. Case in point? My brother who was twenty-four was about to be chewed out.

"You have visions?" Dean asked Sam.

"Yeah," Sam shrugged. "They started a while ago."

"And it wasn't something you thought we should know about?" Dean asked.

"I was waiting for the right time," Sam shrugged.

"Right, because there's always a time for telling your family that you have freaky ESP crap."

"Hey!" Sam and I protested.

"I don't know what you two are trying to accomplish by keeping secrets like this," Dean growled. "If you think this is helping, you're wrong. We don't need to be dealing with this kind of crap right now. And, you can't handle this by yourselves."

"I'm sorry, Dean," Sam sighed. "I know I should've told you. But, you have to admit this shit is weird. Even for us."

"Which is even more of a reason why you shouldn't be keeping this kind of stuff away from me," Dean seethed. "Speaking of which, why the hell would you agree to the plan that Hailey proposed?"

"She made me promise," Sam frowned shooting a glare my way. I rolled my eyes in response. Way to throw me under the bus. Because unlike Sam and Aiden, who had aged out of more physical consequences, I hadn't.

"Yes, I know that Hailey is the instigator in all of this," Dean replied pinning me with the same ferocious look that he had given me the day before. Great, I really was about to get chewed out for the same thing.

"Dean, she…" Sam tried.

"Had her own part to play in all of this," Dean interrupted. "Go help, Aiden."

"Dean," Sam tried once more.

Dean tossed the impala's keys to Sam, who caught them right before they smacked him in the forehead.

"Go, geek-boy," Dean ordered, lightly. "You'll probably be picking Aiden up along the way."

"When should we come back?" Sam asked.

"What?" I cried, outraged. "No way."

Too most that question was completely harmless. After all we were on a bit of a deadline with the whole evil bitch trying to kill our friends thing. But, that wasn't what Sam was asking about. Sam was asking when my turn would be up.

"Half hour," Dean answered. "Tops."

"Okay," Sam nodded.

I vaguely wondered why Sam hadn't gotten chewed out quite as bad as Aiden had. But, I rationalized that hunting by yourself is a lot more dangerous that seeing things before they happen. It was also weird that my abilities seemed a lot stronger and further along than Sam's were.

As Sam got up he squeezed my shoulder comfortingly. Although, it was a lost cause. I was not feeling remotely comfortable. Hell, part of me just wanted to cut my losses and run out of there before Dean could move. While my brothers were taller, I could almost always outrun them and they knew it.

The last time we were all together and had gotten a lecture like this was for a prank war, years ago. It had escalated as it always does. But, I had started it and had finished it by dying Aiden's hair pink…in permanent color. I don't think I sat right for an entire week. And, now, it looked like the same thing was about to happen because Dean had said a half hour the last go around, too.

And, don't think my age was about to get me out of anything. Dean had once gotten spanked on a hunt, at nineteen years old, for drinking. We weren't supposed to be drinking when we were actually working a case. Dad had been far from happy and Dean had gotten it. So, my point being, if even Dean hadn't escaped outgrowing the more corporal approach, I sure hadn't. Sometimes, it really sucked to be the youngest. Especially, the youngest in a family that had an ex-marine as the patriarch, who had in turn passed most of his parenting techniques onto Dean. It was a simple Winchester rule, don't screw up or you get your ass beat. It had always been that way, granted it seemed like the only person that it applied to anymore was me, wasn't I the lucky one?

"Dean, we've already talked about this," I protested once Sam had closed the motel door.

"And, you think that was enough?" Dean glowered.

"It isn't fair," I responded. "You yelled at me in public!"

"No, what's unfair is finding out something your entire family knew about but decided not to clue you in about!" Dean seethed.

"I was going to tell you," I retorted.

"Yeah?" Dean scoffed. "When?"

"When it was a good time," I whispered.

"Don't start with the same shit that Sammy tried to pull," Dean warned.

"This is fucking bullshit, Dean!" I snapped. "I've already apologized and explained."

"No you explained how Sam, Aiden, and Dad knew before I did," Dean corrected. "You explained and sidestepped what you knew about the demon. And, now I find out that not only do I have a sister with freaky ESP crap, Sam has it too?"

"It's not fucking freaky ESP crap, Dean!" I snapped.

At this point Dean and I were glaring at each nearly chest to chest as we yelled at each other. It was good that no one else was around, they'd try to break it up, especially with the glares that Dean and I were throwing at each other. I couldn't really think long about what was going on because Dean had latched onto my wrist as his green eyes sparked furiously. One of the worst things I could've possibly done was cursed or yelled at him when he was already in parental mode, and I had done both.

"Dean, let me go!" I growled.

Dean's face hardened as his eyes went cold. He shook his head slightly back and forth and then began to drag me towards one of the beds.

"Dean, no!" I protested sharply.

I fought harder attempting to loosen the iron grip Dean had on my wrist. At the attempt to shake him off the grip tightened further. Then as if I hadn't been fighting tooth and nail, like some sort of desperate animal caught in a trap, Dean not only managed to yank me over his knees but pull my pants to my ankles. When I tried to get out of position he grabbed my wrists and pinned them tightly to my back. I was completely stuck and instead of calming down. I went completely nuts. I was pissed at how easy Dean had restrained me and how much I hated that I was able to.

"Hailey, stop it," Dean ordered firmly. His voice was calm and level and instead of making me calm down made me incredibly angry.

I hissed and attempted to throw myself on to the floor. Dean countered the move instantly trapping my legs in between one of his own. I was completely trapped and that was when Dean laid down his first swat. After the one, more followed fast and hard. It felt like Dean wasn't holding anything back and I was whimpering in minutes despite myself.

Of course I knew that this could happen eventually, Dean never handled being afraid well especially if one of us had caused it and maybe, just maybe I deserved it. Still it didn't make it any easier to take and since I was restrained physically, I turned my mouth into a weapon screaming at Dean for anything and everything I could think of. Not being allowed to drive the impala, for keeping me benched after my coma, for trying to keep stuff from me all the time and how he was a fucking hypocrite. That one he didn't like very much and if I thought he was whaling on me hard before, well I spoke to soon.

"You know better than pitching a tantrum!" Dean scolded as the smacks continued at a blinding pace.

I figured if Dean wasn't going to speak except for the tantrum dig then I wouldn't react either. Even though the pain in my ass was reacting sweltering levels and it was getting increasingly difficult to just pretend that nothing was happening. Because, trust me it was getting through loud and clear. Why wasn't he stopping? Honestly you think if he had to double his efforts to keep me pinned down that whatever he wanted me to realize would have sunk in by now. And, damn if Dean hadn't gotten fucking better at this.

"Stop it," I groaned my legs jerking on their own accord with every single hard swat.

"Maybe when you promise that all this shit stops now," Dean suggested.

"What?" I whimpered.

"The running away," Dean snapped. "Lying to me and hiding things from me. You promise that shit stops now and maybe I'll stop. And if Sam and Aiden come back early and get a show that's not my problem."

"Dean, no!" I bawled. The worst thing would be if Sam and Aiden came back to this. I didn't want anyone to realize that this had happened especially not Sam or Aiden so I forfeited any remaining fight I had left, "Okay! I promise!"

"You sure bout that?" Dean demanded slowing down the speed and now favoring force. I couldn't stop the wail that burst out through that.

"Yes!" I whimpered.

It was clear that Dean wasn't stopping until he was completely satisfied. I guess I had been breaking a few big rules in the Winchester handbook, but this was the worst whipping I think I had ever gotten and it still wasn't over yet. Why would he still be whipping me? I had promised, hadn't I? And then I realized and the words couldn't pour out of my mouth fast enough.

"Dean, I'm sorry!" I whispered. "Stop, please. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry!"

I let myself go limp as I began to cry like a little baby. This had sucked so much. Dean finally stopped after two more blistering swats. He released the hold he had on my wrists and I covered my face with my hands, crying as Dean slid my jeans back up.

Dean manhandled me until I was able to tuck my head into his shoulder, as I hid my face in his neck.

"Shhh, baby girl, it's okay," Dean soothed. "Just take it easy."

Dean rubbed my back in soothing circles as he continued to whisper things he knew would calm me down. By the time Sam returned with the impala, I had calmed down completely. I had washed my face and pulled on my hoodie as Dean and I sat waiting. When Sam and Aiden pulled up, Dean and I got in driving quickly to meet Dad.

When we pulled up Dad had the weapon's trunk opened in the bed of his truck. He turned at our approach. Once we were within distance, it was straight to business.

"Did you get it?" Dad asked.

Aiden held out the ringer they found and gave it to Dad.

"You know this is a trap, don't you?" Dean demanded.

"I can handle her," Dad stated. "I got a whole arsenal loaded, holy water, Monadic amulets…"

"Dad," Dean interrupted.

"What?" Dad asked.

"Promise me something," Dean whispered.

"What's that?" Dad queried.

"This thing goes south, just get the hell out," Dean said. "Don't get yourself killed, all right? You're no good to us dead."

"Same goes for you," Dad said.

We watched as Dad pulled the real Colt out of his pocket. I sighed as the four of us looked at it waiting for Dad to continue.

"Listen, they made the bullets special for this Colt," Dad stated. "There's only for of them left, without them, the gun is useless. Make every shot count."

"Yes, sir," We said together.

"I've been waiting a long time for this fight," Dad grumbled. "Now it's here, and I'm not gonna be in it. It's up to you guys now. It's your fight, finish what I started. Understand?"

We all nodded in understanding. I watched as Dad gave the Colt to Dean who put it in his coat pocket.

"We'll see you soon, Dad," Sam smiled.

"I'll see you later," Dad replied.

"Later," Dean said.

We all stood and waited until we couldn't see the lights on the back of Dad's truck disappeared. I shuddered as I got the worst feeling that something bad was about to happen. I shrugged it off. No one, and nothing got one over on John Winchester, especially not some demon bitch.

"Well, let's go," Dean ordered.

Of course, sitting in the impala wasn't very comfortable at the present moment, for yours truly. But, I was determined to be apart of this fight. I wasn't about to start complaining when I just got my hunting privileges back. We pulled alongside the house that Sam and I were at the earlier in the day. As we were waiting for something to happen, we began discussing how to get the family out of the house.

"Maybe we can tell them there's a gas leak?" Sam suggested. "Might get them out of the house for a few hours."

"Yeah, like that would work," Aiden scoffed.

"It could," Sam retorted.

"How many times has that actually worked for us?" Dean questioned.

"We could tell them the truth?" I shrugged

"Naw," We all sighed.

"We've only got one move," Dean stated, firmly. "We've got to wait for that demon to show itself, and then we get it before it gets them."

We all nodded in agreement as we all lounged in silence for a moment.

"I wonder how Dad's doing," Sam sighed.

"I'd feel a lot better if we were there backing him up," Dean replied.

"I'd feel a lot better if he were here backing us up," Aiden responded.

"I agree," I whispered.

"This is weird," Sam muttered.

"What?" Aiden asked.

"After all these years, we're finally here," Sam sighed. "It just doesn't seem real."

"We just got to keep our heads and do our job like always," Dean said.

"This isn't like always," Aiden contradicted.

"True," Dean acknowledged.

"Dean, uh, I wanna thank you," Sam whispered.

"For what?" Dean questioned turning to look at him. Aiden and I turned to look in between Sam and Dean wondering what Sam was getting at.

"For everything," Sam said. "You've always had my back, you know? Even when I couldn't count on anyone, I could always count on you. And now…I don't know, I just wanted to let you know, just in case."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Dean growled. "Are you kidding me?"

"What?" Sam asked.

"Don't say just in case something happens to you, I don't wanna hear that fucking speech, man." Dean growled. "Nobody's dying tonight. Not us, not that family, nobody, except that demon. That evil son of a bitch ain't getting older than tonight, you understand me?"

We all nodded in understanding as we resumed watching the house. I wondered if Dad had made it to the warehouse yet. And if he was okay. I knew he could take care of himself, after all he was the master but still I was worried. This demon seemed bigger than anything we had ever encountered before. Of course, it was only one demon, Dad was facing but still, and he was all alone. I watched as Dean attempted to call Dad, but he didn't answer. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, though it didn't make us worry any less.

"Dad's not answering," Dean sighed. He had tried again.

"Maybe Meg was late?" Aiden suggested.

"Or cell reception sucks?" I tried.

"Yeah, well…" Dean trailed of, unwilling to share with us what he was thinking.

Before any of us could say anything else I heard the radio begin to get staticky before turning to static entirely.

"Guys," I warned.

Everyone listened as Dean tried to tune the radio but the reception was bad. Just when we were about to get out of the car, the leaves started blowing in the wind and the street lights and the house lights began flickering.

"Let's go!" Dean shouted.

We all got out of the house, running towards the house where Monica and her family lived. Dean picked the lock and waited as Sam, Aiden, and I entered the house. We were waiting for Dean to come in when suddenly Monica's husband emerged wildly wielding a baseball bat. He swung at Dean who moved out of the way pushing the guy backwards and pining him against the wall.

"Get out of my house!" The man shouted. "Monica, get the baby!"

"No!" Sam snapped. "Don't go in the nursery!"

"You stay away from her," The man growled.

Dean then knocked him one dazing him for a moment.

"You two, take him outside and make sure he stays there," Dean ordered.

Aiden and I nodded as we brought Monica's husband outside. We were forced to watch as fire began to start in the nursery. When our brothers didn't emerge immediately I got antsy. I moved to go back inside when Aiden grabbed my wrist.

"Don't," Aiden pleaded.

I sighed and stilled. A few moments later Sam and Dean came through the door with Monica and her baby in toe.

"You get away from my family!" Monica's husband growled.

"Charlie, don't!" Monica chided. "They saved us."

Monica took Rosie from Dean. We all glanced as the fire raged inside the house. Suddenly I saw the shape of a man in the middle of what I assumed was the nursery. It was the demon.

"He's still in there!" Sam shouted moving to run back into the house.

"Sam, no!" Dean growled wrestling him further away from the house.

"Dean, let me go!" Sam snapped. "It's still in there!"

"It's burning to the ground, Sam!" Aiden reproached.

"It's suicide!" I spat.

"I don't care!" Sam yelled.

"We do!" Dean responded.

The demon remained in the nursery for a moment more before vanishing. I fought a sudden sinking feeling in my chest. We could've finished it tonight. What had we done wrong? Having no choice we got back in the impala and drove back to the motel room. We slinked inside, each feeling defeated in different ways. We each collapsed in different places and it was silent until I stood up.

"Dad, should've called by now," I whispered.

"Dad," Sam sighed.

We watched as Dean picked up his phone and dialed Dad's number. We waited patiently for him to answer. We all were on alert when Dean didn't sound too happy when Dad answered. He held up his hand before putting the call on speaker.

"You guys really screwed up this time," Meg hissed.

"Where is he?" Dean growled.

"You're never going to see your father again," Meg promised and my heart froze.


	11. Supermassive Black Hole

**Chapter Eleven: Supermassive Black Hole**

"_Only the dead have seen the end of war."_

I was wrong. I was completely and utterly wrong and unlike previous times where I had been wrong in what I was thinking: this was definitely the worst. My father wasn't invincible. I mean somewhere I knew that. Hello, I'm eighteen years old but there was still that naïve part of me that thought my Dad could take on anything and anyone at anytime. But, I was wrong because that demon bitch had gotten one over on my father and now everything was sideways. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind I realized how much this much suck for Dean. Currently, I was far more worried about whether or not I'd be able to see my father again alive. Because no matter how much more of a father Dean was to me, Dad was still Dad, the leader of our family and now he was in trouble and it was all my fault. We never should've agreed to the terms Meg set. Especially the one where we let him go alone.

"Where are you going, Dean?" Sam growled.

The irritation in Sam's voice was enough to pull me out of my reverie. I hadn't missed much. We all still looked shell shocked. The only change was that Dean was packing his duffel bag as fast as he could before grabbing the Colt that was sitting on the night stand.

"We gotta go," Dean said simply.

"What?" I asked. "Why?"

"Because the demon knows we're in Salvation, all right?" Dean snapped. "It knows we've got the Colt, it's got Dad, it's probably coming for us next."

"Good," Sam shrugged. "We've got three bullets left. Let it come."

Aiden and I exchanged glances as Sam and Dean faced off. I was torn completely and I couldn't even attempt to hazard a guess at what Aiden was feeling right about now. Part of me agreed with Sam. Now was as good a time as any to take down Azazel. On the other hand we should go get Dad. My teeth clamped down on my lower lip as I fought with myself. Vengeance now? Or vengeance later? I didn't want to give the demon any more chances of destroying my family.

"Listen, tough guy, we're not ready!" Dean retorted sharply. "We don't know how many of them are out there. Now, we're no good to anybody dead. We're leaving. Now!"

Dean didn't want for Sam's response, instead he shrugged on his coat, grabbed his bags and sent Aiden and I a move-it-now-or-else look. I looked to Sam, who seemed angry that he wasn't being listened to but when Dean seems pretty damn annoyed already it was best to just do as he said.

Not even five minutes later we were swerving out of Salvation. Dean was driving at break-neck speed. Even faster than he normally went, which was completely terrifying. As the impala fishtailed as Dean steered her right I lost my balance and ended up right in Aiden's lap.

"I'm telling you, Dean, we could've taken him," Sam frowned glancing at Dean from the corner of his eye.

"We need a plan," Dean grumbled. "Now, they're probably keeping Dad alive, we've just got to figure out where. They'll want to trade him for the gun. What, Sam?"

I glanced back to Sam and saw him shaking his head back and forth.

"Dean, if that was true, why didn't Meg mention a trade?" Sam whispered. "Dad…he might.

"Don't!" I shouted.

"Look, I don't want to believe it either," Sam responded. "But if he is, all the more reason to kill this damn thing. We still have the Colt. We can finish the job."

"Screw the fucking job, Sam!" Dean shouted.

"Dean, I'm just trying to do what he would want!" Sam groaned. "He would want us to keep going."

"Quit talking about him like he's dead already," Dean barked. "Listen to me! Everything stops until we get him back, you understand me? Everything!"

I leaned back against Aiden's chest surprised. Dean didn't pull rank with Sam very often, which meant that this was even more serious than I had previously thought. I mean our father being kidnapped by demons was still fucked up. Maybe I had underestimated the demon that had taken him because Dean wasn't acting too calm right about now and that very fact sent all sorts of warning bells off in my mind.

"How do we find him?" Aiden asked.

"Maybe we got to Lincoln," Dean suggested. "Start at the warehouse where he was taken."

"Come on, Dean, you really think these demons are gonna leave a trail?" Sam scoffed.

"You're right," Dean muttered. "We need help."

Dean floored it to the closest person we knew which happened to be where Bobby Singer lived. Bobby Singer was an old friend of our father's and just like most friends of my father they had a falling out, which invariably led to Bobby threatening to shoot him full of buckshot. Still, even though, Bobby and Dad hadn't parted on the best of terms, he was the best shot we had at getting Dad back.

We few hours later we pulled into Singer's Salvage Yard. It was clear that things hadn't changed much. There were car parts all over the property. And Rumsfeld was still holding court on bobby's old blue pick up. He came out of the house looking at us all curiously.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Bobby asked as we all got out of the car.

"Bobby, Dad's gone missing," I responded. "We don't know what to do."

"Hailey," Aiden, Sam, and Dean scolded.

I rolled my eyes and looked to Bobby. We hadn't broken nearly every speeding law to get here within a decent time to start dicking around now. Dad's life was on the line, have that I was certain.

"Come on in," Bobby replied.

We all trekked into Bobby's house and nothing had changed. Books lined every available surface. The stacks were nearly up to the ceiling. Sam had made a beeline to the desk where a book was already open. Aiden and I rolled our eyes as Bobby came back into the room with a silver flask in either hand.

"Here ya go," Bobby said, handing Dean one of the flasks.

"What's this?" Dean asked. "Holy Water?"

"That one is," Bobby grinned and held up the other. "This is whiskey."

Bobby took a swig of it before handing it to Dean who drank from it as well. I frowned at the flask thinking about how a nice sip of whiskey would settle my nerves or maybe make my mind shut up.

"Bobby, thanks," Dean smiled. "Thanks for everything. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure if we should come."

"Nonsense," Bobby dismissed. "Your Daddy needs help."

"Yeah, but last time we saw you, you threatened to blast him full of buckshot. You cocked the shotgun and everything," Dean exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, what can I say?" Bobby grimaced. "John just has that effect on people."

"Yeah, I guess he does," Dean responded.

Aiden, Sam, and I shrugged. We all knew that Dad was at times completely impossible. I loved my father, don't get me wrong, but sometimes he could rub people the wrong way.

"None of that matters now," Bobby said. "All that matters is that you get him back."

"Bobby," Sam called, awe in his voice. "This book, I've never seen anything like it."

"The Key of Solomon?" Bobby asked leaning over Sam's shoulder, "It's the real deal all right."

"And these protective circles, they really work?" Sam questioned.

"Hell yeah," Bobby exclaimed. "You get a demon in one, they're trapped, powerless. It's like a satanic roach motel."

All of us laughed and I saw that one of the protective circles that Sam was asking about in the book was on Bobby's ceiling. Bobby Singer was smart. Perhaps, one of the best hunters I knew. He was prepared for anything, hell, he reminded me a lot of Dad. And, I trusted him completely, I had known Bobby Singer since I was a baby.

"I'll tell you something else, too," Bobby said. "This is some serious crap you guys stepped in."

"How's that?" Aiden asked.

"Normal year, I hear, say , say three demonic possessions, maybe four, tops," Bobby shrugged.

"Yeah?" Dean responded.

"This year, I've heard twenty seven so far," Bobby continued. "You get what I'm sayin'? More and more demons are walkin' among us, a lot more."

"Why?" I mumbled and then repeated louder. "Do you know why?"

No, but I know it's something big," Bobby sighed. "A storms comin'. And you guys, and your Daddy, are smack in the middle of it."

"That's just peachy," I grumbled sarcastically sharing looks with my brothers.

I stopped what else I was going to say and listened. Something was wrong. Almost confirming my realization, Rumsfeld started barking.

"Rumsfeld," Bobby whispered. "What is it?"

Bobby moved to the window seconds before I did. Rumsfeld wasn't anywhere in site.

"Something's wrong," I whispered.

Out of nowhere a petite blonde with short blond hair, and a red leather jacket kicked the door in.

"No more crap, okay?" Meg growled.

Dean began walking towards her with the bottle of holy water but Meg just lifted her arm and sent Dean soaring into a stack of books. I moved to go help him when Aiden grabbed hold of the back of my sweatshirt. Meg began walking towards Aiden and I, and because Aiden still had a firm grip on my shirt I was forced to trail along after him.

"I want the Colt, Aiden, the real Colt," Meg seethed. "Right now."

"We don't have it," Aiden shrugged still backing up as Meg followed after us. "We gave it to our father."

"Didn't I say 'no more crap'? I swear after everything I had heard about you Winchesters, I've gotta tell you I'm a little underwhelmed. First Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and then he leaves the real gun with you four chuckleheads," Meg growled. "Lackluster, men. I mean did you really think I wouldn't find you?"

I watched out of the corner of my eye as Dean appeared behind Meg. It, was then I realized that Aiden wasn't protecting me, he leading me right into the demon trap. It was genius…it was completely Winchester.

"Actually," Dean growled. "We were counting on it."

Dean let his eyes roll upward and then Meg looked at the ceiling. She was completely trapped.

"Gotcha," Dean sneered.

"Aiden, go get a chair," Sam ordered. "Hails, get some rope."

Aiden and I went off to get what Sam requested. Aiden handed Dean the chair, which he put behind Meg and then shoved her into it. I gave him the rope and we tied her hands to the chairs arms.

"Where's our father, Meg?" Dean asked.

"You didn't ask very nice," Meg responded.

"Where's our father, bitch," Dean replied.

"Jeez, you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Meg scoffed. "Oh, I forgot. You don't."

I flinched as Meg glanced at me, smirking. It was as if she knew that was what the demon who had kidnapped me had said. I knew without a doubt that was the case as she looked at me smugly.

"Looks, like you're out of your game, little girl," Meg called.

"Don't talk to her," Dean hissed.

"Aw, how cute," Meg cooed. "You let your brothers fight your battles a lot?"

"Fuck you, bitch," I snarled.

Dean and Sam pinned me with a look that I was tempted to argue with it said to not rise to the bait. I rolled my eyes and continued to watch as Sam and Dean interrogated Meg but what I saw next stunned me. As Meg was going after me she failed to notice Dean getting closer to her. When she noticed it was almost too late. Dean got really close to her face, shaking with barely suppressed rage right before he backhanded her across the face. She let out a yelp as Dean straightened up. Aiden and I exchanged shocked glances. Sure, Dean had a temper but this was something else entirely, this was desperation.

"That's kinda a turn on," Meg smirked. "You hitting a girl."

"You're no girl," Dean sneered.

"Dean," Bobby called.

All of our head's snapped in Bobby's direction and he gestured us over.

"You okay?" Sam asked Dean.

"She's lying, he's not dead," Dean growled.

"Please, don't hurt her, Dean," Aiden whispered.

"That bitch knows where Dad is Aiden," Dean reproached. "I'm doing everything I can to make sure we get him back. It's not like she's your girlfriend."

"We can play hard ball without hittin the girl," I muttered. "Exorcism and Holy Water will hurt the demon."

"Then let's do it," Dean shrugged. "Times a wastin."

Moments later Sam and Dean were facing Meg. Sam was holding Dad's journal, opening towards one of the exorcism rites. Aiden and I were once again on the sidelines and I noted that Aiden's stance from leaning against the was both rigid and tense. My little sister sense were tingling, there was something that Aiden wasn't telling us.

"Are you going to read me a story?" Meg smiled.

"Something like that," Dean smirked. "Hit it, Sam."

Sam begins to read the exorcism rite as Meg smug smile falls.

"An exorcism?" Meg growled glaring at Dean. "Are you serious?"

"Oh, we're goin for it, baby," Dean growled. "Head-spinning, projectile vomiting, the whole nine yards."

Sam continued reading and I watched Meg's reactions carefully. It was obvious that the exorcism was taking its toll when she suddenly grimaced and moaned in pain.

"I'm gonna kill you," Meg vowed. "I'm gonna rip the bones from your body."

"No, you're going to burn in hell," Dean corrected. "Unless you tell us where our Dad is."

Meg didn't say a word instead choosing to glare at each of us with hate in her eyes.

"Well, at least you'll get a nice tan," Dean hissed nodding towards Sam in a silent order to continue.

I drifted away from the exorcism despite my best intentions to remain in the game. But, I found it harder when Meg's eyes turned black in response to the demon righting to remain in control. We had been sticking close to ghost hunts and searching for Azazel but I hadn't seen a black-eyed demon since I had been kidnapped. And, try as I might not to think about it, it kept crawling back into the front of my mind.

Aiden noticed my flinching and put a hand on the back of my neck and squeezing gently. Even though I knew that my family was there but I still felt threatened

I was jerked back into what was happening now when Meg chose to speak again, "He begged for his life with tears in his eyes. He begged to see his children one last time. That's when I slit his throat."

I stiffened and growled but the hand against the back of my neck that was at once comforting was now more restraining. I didn't have to get involved knowing that Dean had it under control. Well, control really wasn't the word I'd use. Truth be told, my eldest brother was quickly loosing ground when it came to his temper. I could tell that Sam and Aiden were as nervous as I was concerning exactly what Dean was capable of doing if it found our father.

"For your sake," Dean hissed. His voice the very definition of a threat, "I hope you're lying. 'Cause if it's true, I swear to God, I will march into hell myself, and I will slaughter each and every one of you evil sons of bitches, so help me god!"

I let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding, as Dean straightened up and backed away from her. Dean glanced at Sam again and Sam once again began to read the rite. As much as I hated demons I didn't want Dean to hurt the girl the demon was possessing.

"_This is a warning," A man growled. "You stay out of our way and maybe I'll let your brothers live. You on the other hand won't be so lucky_."

I shook my head as the what the demon had said continued to taunt me nearly two months later. Well, it was technically three but I had only been awake two of those months. To think a demon had stolen an entire month of my life. My fists clenched and the back of my throat tightened. Because, it didn't matter a month was only a month. If a demon took my father I didn't know what I'd do.

I was distracted once again from my thoughts as a nearby books pages began to turn on their own accord A wind was suddenly blowing, scattering loose papers and book pages began to blow around. Amidst all the turning, Meg was screaming, the demon obviously suffering under the exorcism as she shook uncontrollably.

"Where is he?" Dean shouted over Sam

"You won't just take 'dead' for an answer, will you?" Meg hissed.

"Where is he?!" Dean screamed.

"Dead!" Meg growled.

"No, he's not!" Dean barked. "He's not dead, he can't be." Almost as if sensing our eyes he looked at us, "What are you looking at?" and then he turned to Sam, "Keep reading."

As Sam continued to read the lights began to flicker. And then Meg stiffened and screamed as her chair began moving around the room, still trapped in the circle.

"He will be!" Meg howled as her chair came to a sudden stop.

"Wait!" Dean called. "What?"

"He's not dead," Meg sighed. "But, he will be after what we do to him."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Aiden asked.

"You don't," Meg muttered.

"Sam!" Dean growled.

"A building!" Meg gasped before Sam could read anymore. "Okay? A building in Jefferson City."

"Missouri?" Dean spat. "Where? An address?"

"I don't know!" Meg whimpered.

"And the demon, the one we're looking for, where is it?" Sam asked.

"I don't know!" Meg whispered. "I swear! That's everything. That's all I know."

My stomach coiled as I took in her haggard appearance. Demon or no, she looked like crap. Tears streaked her face and she was breathing heavily.

"Finish it," Dean ordered Sam.

"What?" Meg demanded, outraged. "I told you the truth!"

"I don't care," Dean sneered.

"You son of a bitch!" Meg snapped. "You promised."

"I lied!" Dean scorned before turning to Sam. What was startling was his voice didn't change in pitch as it normally would when he was talking to one of us. His voice was sharp and angry. And I could tell Sam didn't know what to do. "Sam?"

Sam still didn't say a word and Dean's eyes turned flinty. "Sam!" Dean growled. "Read."

"We can still use her," Sam countered. "Find out where the demon is."

"She doesn't know," Dean shout the idea down

"She lied!" Sam retorted.

"Sam, there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there," Dean growled. "We've gotta help her. Finish it, Sam."

Sam looks a more than a bit reluctant but, wisely choosing not to fight Dean he began to read the last lines of the rite. At the end of the passage, Meg's head tilted up and she howled as the cloud of black smock rushed out of her body. With the demon no longer animating the body, it was clear that the girl was dead. No one could be that pale and still be alive. I looked over to Aiden who sucked in a shuddery breath. I put my hand on Aiden's arm and he gave me a watery smile. It was clear that Aiden hadn't told the truth about how exactly he knew Meg. The way he was looking at her body made me realize that he liked her. He nodded once, a gesture that neither Sam nor Dean caught and my heart broke just a little.

This whole thing had started off as a need for revenge but as years went by it went from a quest for vengeance into an obsession. And in between now and then it was clear that a war had been started, and it was quickly racking up a body count with Meg being the most recent victim.

As Sam and Dean untied Meg from her bonds and lowered her corpse to the floor, I realized something. Despite a demon being under torture, she wouldn't have given up information unless she wanted to. Sure, Dean promised her that she'd leave unscathed as long as she answered us, but her pleading that she was telling the truth, sounded about eighty percent honest, plaintive struggle for us to believe her. The remaining twenty was a con, of that, I was certain.

"It's a trap," I whispered suddenly.

Sam and Dean straightened up and looked at me curiously. Their question was clear and simultaneous, "And how would you know?"

"I just do," I replied.

"You just know?" Dean responded. "Oh, that's nice."

"Dean, I've told enough con to people to realize when someone else was trying to con us," I shrugged. "It's an easy thing to miss but I'm nearly positive that there's something else going on."

"We're gonna need an explanation," Sam prompted

"She wanted us to believe us and she was telling the truth," I replied. "But, she wants to go. That's why she's here. Sure, get the gun, kill us all, mission fucking accomplished." I ignored the reproach of my language from Dean and continued, "But, as surprised as she was about the circle, and the exorcism, she wants us to go. It's a trap. Someone sent her here."

I crossed my arms satisfied that I had worked out the rest in my head. Sure, there was a chance I was wrong and I wasn't saying that it was impossible that I was but it made so much more sense that it was a trap, somehow, in someway.

Before, my brothers could comment further my phone began to ring. I got it out and opened at the screen before answering and hitting speaker.

"Hey, Tasha," I greeted.

"Hails," Natasha sighed. "I saw everything that happened. And you're not wrong. It's a trap."

"Are you kidding?" Dean growled, rolling his eyes.

"Dean Winchester, I'm trying to help you," Natasha scolded.

"Don't listen to him, Taz," I replied coolly. "What did you want to tell us?"

"He's by a river in Jefferson City," Natasha stated coolly. "Azazel isn't there but there are other ones guarding your father. And they're nasty."

"Thanks, Taz," I whispered.

"Just do me a favor, Winchester," Natasha sighed quickly. "Be careful and stay alive. That goes for all of you."

"You guys better hurry up and beat it," Bobby said soon after Natasha hung up.

"What are you going to tell the police?" Dean asked

"You think you guys invented lying to the cops?" Bobby rolled his eyes. "I'll figure something out."

Bobby then handed Sam the book that we all saw earlier, "You might need it," Bobby shrugged by way of explanation, "here. Take this. You might need it."

"Thanks," Sam smiled.

"Thanks," Dean said. "For everything. Be careful, all right?"

"You just go find your dad," Bobby said. "And when you do, bring him around, would ya? I won't even try to shoot him this time."

We all laughed lightly before moving back towards the impala. Dean soon had the impala pushing the very throttle of her speed limit as we rushed to Jefferson City. Dean parked by the river and Sam and Dean got into an argument because Sam drew a Devil's trap on the impala's trunk so that we'd have a place to hold the Colt. Because, as Sam said they were expecting us to bring it. Sam and Dean argued back and forth ending in Dean putting the impala in the trunk. Satisfied, Sam walked away and Dean picked the Colt back up and pocketed it. I didn't bother to get Dean to put it back. Dean's instincts were nearly perfect and I wasn't about to second guess him.

Once we got there I saw the apartment complexes. One was called Sunrise as it was called and I fought back a groan. It was the perfect place for demons, who could possess nearly anyone. It made us sitting ducks.

"A building full of human shields," Aiden hissed.

"This sucks out loud," Dean groused.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Sam grumbled.

"All right, so, how the hell are we gonna get in?" I asked.

"Pull the fire alarm," Aiden suggested.

"It'll get out the civilians," Dean smirked.

"Okay," Sam nodded. "But then the city responds in, what, seven minutes?"

"Seven minutes, exactly," Dean said.

Aiden, Dean, and I waited outside as Sam walked into the apartment. About two minutes the fire alarm sounded and Sam walked quickly back out of the building. Once the fire department arrived. Dean went to distract one of the fire fighters by the truck as Aiden, Sam, and I went to get the extra uniforms in the trunk. We got them on as Dean slipped away pulling on the last suit we stole.

Once we were all in uniform and having blessed the water in the extinguishers on our back we ran through the apartments sweeping it with the ESF scanners, once it started beeping frantically we stopped. Sam, Aiden, and I were shielding Dean who knocked on the door.

"This is the fire department, we need you to evacuate!" Dean shouted.

We heard the locks and bolts unlocking and once the door began to open, Dean kicked it in and we rushed inside. Immediately Aiden went to open a nearby closest as Sam and Dean were subduing the demons. Once the woman was in the closet, the man quickly followed. Dean closed the door and made sure it would stay closed as Sam went around Dean's fee with salt, ensuring that the demons weren't going to be getting in our way anytime soon.

Once the coast was clear we all stripped off the uniforms and made our way into the one bedroom door, which was closed. Sam pushed it open and my heart leapt into my throat. We had found dad but he didn't look so good. He had a cut on his face and he wasn't awake. Dean pushed past all of us and rushed towards the bed.

"Dad?" Dean called leaning down to check his breathing. "Dad? Wake up, Dad!"

Dean shook him for a moment before giving up and taking out his pocket knife. Just as he was about to cut the ropes, Sam stopped him.

"Wait, wait," Sam called.

"What?" Dean retorted.

"He could be possessed for all we know," Sam said.

"What, are you, nuts?" Dean scoffed.

"We've gotta make sure," Sam replied.

Dean rolled his eyes but stilled his movements as Sam splashed dad with the holy water. I sighed in relief that he didn't react to the water, well, not a demonic reaction, anyway, he did wake up, though.

"Sam?" John yawned. "Why are you splashing water on me?"

"Dad you okay?" Dean asked.

"They've been drugging me," Dad sighed. "Where's the Colt?"

"Don't worry, Dad," Sam said. "It's safe."

"Good," Dad smiled. "Good."

Sam and Dean helped Dad get up and off of the bed. Just when we were near the hallway I heard the storm of footsteps. Now, that wasn't good.

"Guys, go back!" I called.

Either it was the tone of my voice or they didn't feel like arguing but they immediately backed up and went back to the bedroom. I rushed after my brothers and father just as two more demons entered the room. One conveniently had an axe. I shut the door and poured salt around the edges. As we climbed out the fire escape, I stopped long enough to put salt on the window ledge before slipping down to join my family as we began to walk towards the impala. Just as we made it out of the back alley another demon attacked, knocking into Sam and brutally tackling him to the floor. Before we could react the demon was punching Sam mercilessly. Dean rushed over to help but with one quick jerk of the demon's head sent Dean flying into a near by parked car.

"Oh, that's how you wanna play it," I growled. "Fine by me."

The demon was to busy punching Sam to notice the air begin to tense before he was knocked away from Sam. He looked up at me in irritation and began stalking towards me. Well, at least attempted before a bullet hit him in the temple and sent him to the ground. An electrical spark flowed down his body and I looked up to see Dean holding the colt.

"Hails, Aiden, go help Dad," Dean ordered. "I got Sam."

Aiden and I walked forward and helped pick Dad up as we walked the rest of the way to the impala. We put Dad in the back, where Sam was put too. Aiden climbed into the front seat along with me and Dean. Thankfully the impala had a bench seat so we could actually have all of us fit in a car.

We drove as fast as we could out of Jefferson City until we found an abandoned cabin. Dean helped Dad out and into one of the back rooms so that he could sleep, while Aiden and I assisted Sam into the cabin. There wasn't a lot we could do at the moment for Sam, except clean the blood off of him and give him an iprofren. He shrugged Aiden and I off after a couple minutes and chose to busy himself with salting the place. When Dean came out we all turned to him.

"How is he?" Sam asked.

"He just needed a little rest, that's all," Dean reassured. "How are you?"

"I'll survive," Sam brushed off the question. "You don't think we were followed, do you?"

"I don't think so," Dean replied. "We couldn't have found a more out of the way place to hole up."

"Yup," Aiden agreed.

"Yeah," Sam muttered. "Uh, hey, Dean, you...um…saved my life back there."

"So, I guess you're glad I brought the gun, huh?" Dean smirked.

"Man, I'm trying to thank you here," Sam sniffed.

"You're welcome," Dean said after he paused a moment. "Hey, guys?"

"Yeah?" We all answered.

"You know that guy I shot?" Dean whispered. "There was a person in there."

"You didn't have a choice, Dean," Aiden responded.

'Yeah," Dean frowned. "That's not what bothers me."

"Then what does?" I asked.

"Killing that guy, killing Meg, I didn't hesitate. I didn't even flinch. For you guys or Dad, the things I'm willing to do or kill it just…it scares me sometimes," Dean admitted.

"It shouldn't," Dad argued. "You did good."

We all whirled around at finding Dad out of bed so soon.

"You're not mad?" Dean questioned.

"For what?" Dad scoffed.

"Using a bullet," Dean said.

"Mad?" Dad smiled. "I'm proud of you. You know, Sam, Hailey, Aiden, and I, we can get pretty obsessed. But you, you watch out for this family. You always have."

Dean looked slightly confused but answered a soft, "Thanks."

Suddenly the lights in the cabin began to flicker and wind blew outside. We all moved towards the windows.

"It found us," Dad growled. "It's here."

"The demon?" Sam gasped.

"Sam, lines of salt in front of every window, every door," Dad ordered.

"Already did it," Sam said.

"Check it," Dad frowned.

Sam nodded and left and I was relieved that he wasn't putting up a fight.

"Dean, you got the gun?" Dad asked.

"Yeah," Dean nodded.

"Give it to me," Dad commanded.

"Dad, Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation. It vanished," Dean said.

"This is me. I won't miss," Dad stated sharply. "Now, the gun. Hurry, Dean."

Instead of giving Dad the gun Dean backed up a couple of steps.

"Son, please," Dad prodded. "Give me the gun. What are you doing?"

"You'd be furious," Dean whispered.

"What?" Dad growled.

"That I wasted a bullet," Dean clarified. "He wouldn't be proud of me. He'd tear me a new one."

I gasped when Dean raised the gun and cocked it, "You're not my dad."

"Dean, it's me," Dad exclaimed.

"I know my dad better than anyone," Dean hissed. "And, you ain't him."

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Dad growled.

"I could ask you the same thing," Dean shot back.

Sam chose that moment to walk into the main room.

"Dean?" Sam questioned. "What the hell is going on?"

"Your brother's lost his mind," Dad snapped.

"He's not Dad," Dean explained.

Aiden and I were already closet to Dean and we all looked at Sam, including our 'father'.

"What?" Sam questioned again.

"I think he's possessed," Dean said. "I think he's been possessed since we rescued him."

"Don't listen to him, Sammy," Dad said. "Hails, Aiden, come on."

"Dean, how do you know?" Sam asked.

"He's just different," Dean growled.

"We don't have time for this!" Dad shouted. "Sam, you want to kill this demon, you've got to trust me."

"No," Sam sighed making his decision as he stood by us.

I stiffened as I heard dad begin to cry.

"Fine, you're both so sure? Go ahead, kill me." Dad hung his head in sadness. Dean lowered the Colt. Not that I blame him if Dad is possessed he's still our father. Who could shoot their own father?

"I thought so," Dad looked up and his eyes were yellow. Azazel.

I gasped as my brothers and I were thrown into the four separate walls with a bang. I gasped struggling to get myself free. In the process of our flight the Colt had dropped to the floor. Azazel picked it up off the floor.

"What a pain in the ass this thing's been," Azazel growled.

"We've been looking for you for a long time," Sam snapped.

"You found me," Azazel smirked.

"But, the holy water?" Aiden questioned.

"You think something like that works on something like me?"

"I'm going to kill you," I snarled.

"Oh, now that'd be a neat trick," Azazel smirked turning to face me fully. "Make the gun float to ya, psychic girl."

I watched as Azazel placed the Colt on the wooden table and I stared at it intently. It began to wiggle back and forth the slightest bit but I couldn't move it more than that.

"Wow," Azazel grinned, triumphant, "Looks like my youngest generation is stronger after all."

"Fuck you," I growled.

"Now, this is fun," Azazel laughed. I could've killed you a hundred times today but this." Azazel sighed in contentment. "This is worth the wait."

Azazel turned to Dean and smirked.

"You're dad?" Azazel said. "He's in here with me. Trapped. Inside his own meat suit. He says, "hi", by the way. He's gonna tear you apart. He's gonna taste the iron in your blood.

"Let him go," Dean snapped. "Or I swear to God."

"What?" Azazel grinned. "What are you and God gonna do? You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice. You know that little exorcism of yours? That was my daughter."

"Who, Meg?" Dean asked.

"And the one in the alley?" Azazel continued. "That was my boy. You understand."

"You've got to be kidding me," Dean groaned.

"What?" Azazel demanded. You're the only one who can have a family? You destroyed my children. How would you feel if I killed your family? Oh, right." Azazel taunted after Dean didn't say a word. " I forgot. I did. Still, two wrongs, don't make it right."

"You son of a bitch," Dean glowered.

"Why?" I shouted.

"Pardon?" Azazel asked. "Why what?"

"How come there's two of us?" I asked.

"Oh, you mean you and Sam?" Azazel grinned. "Well, your family was my favorite. I couldn't risk not coming back for seconds. And it turns out that you're stronger than Sam anyway. Looks like I've made the right decision."

"What do you want with us?" Sam growled.

"I have plans for you, Sammy, you and all the children like you," Azazel answered.

"Listen, you mind just getting this over with?" Dean demanded. "Cause I really can't stand the monologue."

"Funny," Azazel sneered walking back to Dean. "But, that's all part of your MO, isn't it?" Mask all that nasty pain. Mask the truth."

"Oh, you?" Dean scowled. "What's that?"

"You know, you fight and you fight for this family, but the truth is….they don't need you. Not like you need them," Azazel retorted. "Sam's clearly John's favorite. Hailey's his baby girl and Aiden's his baby boy. Even when he's fighting with them, it's more concern than he's ever shown for you."

"That's not true!" Aiden yelled.

"I bet you're really proud of you kids, too?" Dean said. "Oh, right, I forgot, I wasted them."

Dean smiled weakly at least before Azazel took a step back and lowered his head. A moment later, he raised it again. I gasp as Dean begins to bleed heavily from his chest as he screams in agony.

"Dean!" Sam, Aiden, and my panicked shout mingled into one as we struggled with the invisible force.

"Dad," Dean pleads, "Dad, don't you let it kill me."

The only answer is the bleeding gets heavier. Dean cries and moans in pain as blood begins to come out of his mouth. It's too much blood.

"Dean!" I cry again.

"Dad, please," Dean sobs as the bleeding suddenly stops. But, so does Dean as his head hangs in unconsciousness.

"Dean!" We all shout once more.

Azazel had lowered his head to the ground once more. But the voice that comes out next isn't Azazel's it's Dads.

"No," Dad growled. "Stop it."

I saw Dad's eyes return to their normal hue and Sam made a dive for the gun as we all slid to our feet. Dean however just collapses. Sam cocked the Colt just as Azazel regains control of Dad's body.

"You kill me," Azazel smiled. "You kill Daddy."

"I know," Sam hissed instead shooting Dad in the leg.

Dad fell to the floor and I rushed over to Dean.

"Oh, god, Dean!" I shouted hesitant to touch him. "Dean, hey, you lost a lot of blood."

"Where's Dad?" Dean asked weakly.

"Sam and Aiden have him." I responded.

I gasped when Dad opened his eyes, struggling with the demon inside.

"Sammy!" Dad shouted. "It's still alive. It's inside me! I can feel it. You shoot me. You shoot me in the heart, son!"

To my utter shock Sam raises the gun, tears glistening in his eyes as he cocks it.

"Do it now!" Dad ordered.

"Sam, don't you do it," Dean pleads his voice still weak. "Don't you do it."

"You've gotta hurry!" Dad continued. I can't hold on to it much longer! You shoot me, son! Shoot me!"

"Sammy, please, don't," I whisper as I see Sam struggling to make a decision.

"Son, I'm begging you! We can end this hear and now! Sammy!" Dad screams. "You do this! Sammy! Sam…"

Dad must've lost the grip he had on the demon because suddenly the smoke is forcing its way out of Dad's body and escapes through the floor. Dad looks betrayed breathing heavily and looking at Sam sadly.

I don't know how exactly we got Dad and Dean to the car but we did. I'm sitting on Aiden's lap in the front seat with Dad and Sam and just like normal, as if Dad hadn't been demanding that his own son end his life just to end the demons, they were arguing. I was ignoring Aiden's palms on my thighs tracing circles that would normally lull me to sleep but I was far too concerned for Dean and any chance of rest was thrown out the minute Sam and Dad started yelling at each other.

"Look!" Sam snapped angrily at Dad. "We still have the colt. We have two bullets left. We just have to start over, all right. I mean we already found the demon…"

Sam never got to finish his sentence and Dad didn't get a chance to yell at Sam some more. Instead, there was a loud crunch of metal on metal as bright lights, head lights of a truck, flooded what was once dark. The impala had been hit by something massive. Due to the fact that the impala didn't have seatbelts, I rocketed forward, violently. So, violent, that I went headfirst through the windshield, my body hit the unforgiving blacktop as I skidded to a stop. My head cracked on the concrete and there was nothing I could do except slip into unconsciousness. My family on the forefront of my mind.


	12. Running to Stand Still

**Chapter Twelve: Running to Stand Still**

"_Strength is not about how much you have left but what you're prepared to do to hold onto it."_

'_I'm lucky to be alive'_ was the first thought during the beginning moments of me coming back into consciousness. The next thoughts was a string of curses as what had happened last night hit me with the force of a freight train and then the pain came. White-hot excruciating pain, enough to make me think that I knew not of what pain actually was until that very moment.

I realized that I was exactly where I was when I had slipped into unconsciousness the first time. I was sprawled against the concrete at least twenty feet away from the impala. I looked to where the impala was and my heart dropped into my stomach as I saw no movement from the vehicle. It also didn't make me feel comforted to see the me-sized hole in the middle of the impala's windshield.

I didn't know the full extent of my injuries but I figured that I wasn't that badly off if I was still conscious and coherent. I clawed at the ground in my attempt to get to my feet. I was successful for about two seconds before I crumbled back to the ground, a sharp, shooting pain. My leg was set at a weird angle and I bit back a growl of frustration, it was broken. I glared at the offending limb, that would keep me benched for a minimum of a month.

"Fuck!" I shouted, angrily.

I became even more incensed when my head throbbed in painfully as I shouted. I struggled to sit up straight if anything to see exactly how messed up I was. After five minutes of looking, I had a few scrapes, some puncture wounds that may require stitches, a broken leg, a pretty bad head wound. It was hard to tell how bad the wound was, it was deep, and it felt a little on the long side, but head wounds tended to bleed like a bitch regardless of how bad it was.

"Sam!" I shouted. "Dean! Aiden! Dad!"

I waited patiently for a second before my voice became frantic, "Come on, guys!"

"Hails!" Aiden shouted. "Hails, are you okay?'

"Could be better," I responded. "How is everyone?"

Aiden didn't respond right away and in doing so answered my question. I was content that at least Aiden was awake at the moment. I reached for my phone and frowned when I saw that the thing was shattered all around me. Well, that was terrific.

"Aiden, my phone broke, call the police," I ordered.

"Already have," Aiden replied.

I rolled my eyes and looked around noticing that that a huge eighteen wheeler hit us. I also noticed that the driver was no where in sight.

"Little Winchester," A voice growled.

I gasped as the truck driver slammed down, grabbing a fist full of my hair and yanking straight up so that dangling in the air. I squirmed in the grip trying to kick backwards with my one good leg but it didn't work.

"Christo!" I shouted.

"Slut," The truck driver hissed before tossing me right back into the windshield of the impala.

"Hailey!" Aiden shouted.

"Fuck this shit," I grumbled.

My eyes blurred as I fought to find the demon who tossed me like a little doll. I heard the crunch of gravel seconds before the demon actually ripped the driver's side door off the hinges.

"Get back," Sam ordered. "Or I'll kill you I swear to god."

"You won't," The demon responded. "You're saving that bullet for someone else."

I heard the sound of a gun cocking, "You wanna bet?"

There was no rejoinder offered by the truck driver, instead, the truck driver let out a horrific scream as the demon rushed to leave his body at the sudden threat of harm. Without the demon animating the truck driver's body. The driver came back to.

"Oh, my god," The truck driver whispered.

"Dad?" Sam called. "Dean!"

Neither Dad nor Dean answered Sam's desperate call. No one answered instead the wailing of sirens in the distance alerted me to the fact that an ambulance was on its way. And, just when I thought things couldn't get any louder a medical helicopter followed the sirens. In the next few minutes both the ambulance and the medical helicopter landed near the impala. The next several moments were filled with action as EMTs flooded the impala and the surrounding areas helping Dad and Dean into the medical helicopter while Aiden, Sam, and I were riding in the ambulance.

Aiden and Sam were both in neck braces, laying along side me in the stretchers as EMTs moved around us. When we all got to the hospital we were separated. I groaned as I was wheeled right into a room, as doctors began to hook me up to different machines including an Iv bag on one arm and another one that was pumping me full of the blood I had lost.

I lost count of what happened next but when I came too. I noticed that my broken leg was elevated in a sling as I saw bandages covering my arms and I felt bandages also winding around my torso. Well, this sucked. At least the pain had been dulled presumably by a decent amount of pain pills.

"Hails," Sam whispered relief flooding his tone as he rushed to my bedside.

"Sammy," I smiled softly. "You're okay."

"Of course," Sam scoffed. "Just a few scratches. Aiden's fine too, he just crashing at the motel.

"Speak for yourself, Sammy," Aiden smirked.

"Aiden you're supposed to be resting," Sam hissed.

"Sam, back off," Aiden warned as he slammed down into the chair across from Sam.

"You're okay?" I asked Aiden.

"Don't worry about it, Hails," Aiden smirked. "Just get better."

"It's obviously been a day or two," I began. "What happened? Where's Dad and Dean?"

"Hailey you've had blood transfusion and had to get surgery to reset your leg," Sam answered. "They doctors went a overboard on the anesthetic. So, you've been sleeping for two days. They said that the pain you'd be in would be unbearable at first so it was better you were sleeping."

"Okay," I sighed. I had been worse off than I had originally thought. Well, that sucks.

Despite hating the position I was in, well, I hated hospitals, I knew that demanding my immediate release would frazzle Sam and Aiden's already frayed nerves.

"What about Dad and Dean?" I asked.

At this I saw Aiden and Sam exchange glances and I growled under my breath glaring daggers at both of them.

"Hails, Dean hasn't woken up yet," Sam said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He's in a coma," Aiden sighed. "The doctors aren't putting his survival rate very high."

"Aiden!" Sam hissed.

"She deserves to know, Sam," Aiden retorted, sharply.

"Yeah, and look what that knowledge is doing to her," Sam snapped.

I couldn't help that I was crying. I had never taken Dean getting hurt very well. I guess it was the age difference between us. After all, Dean was ten years older than me. When I was eight, Dean was eighteen and already hunting full time. Well, at least hunting as much as he could. Dean's primary job was raising Sam, Aiden, and I. Most of the time the gap was barely recognizable, I mean, Sam and Aiden were between us after all and Dean was four years older than Sam. But, I digress, when I was eight, I was exposed to things most kids my age didn't know about but that didn't mean that I didn't realize what happened when Dean left he was fine and when he came back he had some sort of injury. As I got older, I realized that sometimes the injuries weren't as bad as they looked. But, whenever there was a hospitalization be it, Dean, Dad, or me and I never reacted well.

As Sam and Aiden continued to bicker I got more and more frustrated.

"Just _shut_ up!" I screamed.

"Hailey!" Sam scolded at exactly how loud my tone was.

"Fighting isn't going to help Dean," I retorted.

Aiden and Sam looked contrite as I glared at both of them. Why did this family insist on fighting whenever something went wrong? I huffed irritated at the fact that Dean was in a coma, Aiden and Sam were fighting and that I was attached to a shit load of wires, while being in one of the places I despised. My attention was refocused when Sam's phone began to ring.

"It's Dad," Sam muttered. "I'll be right back."

"I'm gonna get food," Aiden said. "I'll get you something. You should get some rest."

"Whatever," I groaned.

**Dean's Point of View**

'Now where the hell was I?' I thought as I swung my legs and sat up straight in the bed. I glanced down and saw that I was in hospital garb. Great, hospitalized, just terrific. I sighed as I got out of bed and left the room. I looked around, immediately noting that the hallways were disturbingly empty.

"Sam?" I shouted. "Dad?"

I looked around, not really surprised that there was no response.

"Hailey?" I called. "Aiden? Anybody?"

I sighed as I continued walking, looking into the rooms I came across looking for my family. I walked down a flight of stairs and saw the front desk, where a receptionist was working.

"Excuse me," I called as I walked to the front desk, "Hi. I think I was in a car accident with my father, brothers, and sister. I just need to find them."

The receptionist didn't react and I fought down a flash of irritation. Well, that was rude.

"Hello?" I snapped, waving a hand in front of her face but she still didn't react. "Fine, I'll find them myself."

I ran back to the hallway I was in searching every single room I came across until I sprinted into the room at the end of the hall. They had to be here, they wouldn't just leave. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head as I saw something I hadn't expected laying on a bed it was me. Stunned, I looked over seeing myself attached to several machines, with a breathing tube shoved down my throat. What the fuck was going on? All I knew was I couldn't stop looking at myself, I looked like shit.

I heard a flurry of movement directly behind me and I looked to see Sam coming into the room. He had several bruises on his face along with a few cuts.

"Sammy," I smiled. "You look good, considering."

"Oh, no," Sam whimpered looking directly at my body.

"Man, tell me you can hear me," I pleaded when there was no response I continued. "How's Dad? Is he okay? Come on, you're the psychic. Give me some ghost whispering or something!"

But, Sam's attention moved from my beside to my doorway. I bit back a gasp as I took in Hailey's appearance. She was crutching around, her entire leg wrapped in plaster. There were white bandages around her arms and her stomach from where the shirt began to ride up.

"Hailey, you're supposed to be resting up," Sam scolded.

"Whatever, Sammy," Hailey responded. "Aiden ditched me and the doctor removed the IV so I'm fit for mobilization."

"You're supposed to be taking it easy," Sam continued.

"I don't wanna hear it, Sam," Hailey snapped.

"Hailey," I warned and than realized she wouldn't be able to hear me. Lucky girl, she shouldn't be walking around this soon.

"Your father's awake," The doctor informed Sam and Hailey. "You can go see him if you'd like."

"Oh, thank god," I whispered

"What about our brother, doc?" Hailey asked.

"Well, he sustained serious injury, blood loss, contusions to his liver and kidney. But it's the head trauma I'm worried about. There's early signs of cerebral edema."

"What can we do?" Sam questioned as Hailey's face fell.

"Well, we won't know his full condition until he wakes up," the Doctor said. Hailey and Sam nodded but the doctor wasn't finished yet, "if he wakes up."

"If?" Hailey growled dangerously.

"Screw you, doc, I'm waking up!" I snapped.

"I have to be honest," The doctor sighed. "Most people with his degree of injury wouldn't have survived this long. He's fighting very hard. But you have to have realistic expectations."

"Come on, Sam," I prodded. "Go find some hoodoo priest to lay some mojo on me. I'll be fine."

I had walked over to Sam and Hailey at this point as they gazed to the bed sadly. The doctor had already taken his leave but Hailey and Sam seemed frozen to the spot.

"It's going to be okay," I promised.

Not that they could hear me but everything was going to be okay, it had to be. I followed Sam and Hailey into our father's room. Dad seemed to be okay too. He had a broken arm and I assumed bandages wrapped around the leg Sam shot but other than that he was fine. Sam quickly told Dad about what the doctors had said about me. Dad didn't say much instead he opened his wallet and handed a card to Sam.

"All right, here," Dad said. "Give them my insurance."

"Elroy McGillicuddy?" Sam scoffed.

"And his four loving children," Dad smirked. "So, what else did the doctor say about Dean?"

"Nothing," Sam shrugged. "Look, since the doctors won't do anything…then we'll have to, that's all. I don't know, I'll find some hoodoo priest and lay some mojo on him."

"We'll look for someone," Dad stated.

"Yeah," Sam muttered.

"But, we have to be prepared that we might not find someone," Dad sighed.

"So what?" Sam demanded. "What, do we just sit here with our thumbs up our ass?"

"No, I said we'd look. All right? I'll check under every stone," Dad responded firmly and looked as Sam nodded. "Where's the colt?"

"Your son is dying, and you're worried about the colt," Hailey snapped.

"We are hunting this demon, and maybe it's hunting us, too," Dad growled. "That gun may be our only card."

"It's in the trunk, they dragged the car to a yard off of I-83," Sam answered.

"All right, you've gotta clean out that trunk before some junk man sees what's inside it," Dad ordered.

"I already called Bobby. He's, like, an hour out. He's gonna tow the impala back to his place." Sam said.

"Go meet up with Bobby and take Aiden with you," Dad commanded. "You get that colt and you bring it back to me, and you watch out for hospital security."

"I got it offered," Sam muttered.

"Hey!" Dad called. "Here. I made a list of things I need. Have Bobby pick them up for me."

I watched as Hailey took the list out of our father's hand and read it quickly. She looked up, her brow furrowed, "Acacia? Oil of Abramelin? What's this stuff for?"

"Protection," Dad answered taking back the list and giving it to Sam.

I watched as Sam went to leave once more but he stopped by the doorway.

"Hey Dad?" Sam asked. "You know the demon, he said he had plans for me and Hailey and children like us. You have any idea what he meant by that?"

Hailey and Sam looked at Dad waiting for some sort of answer. The one Dad provided wasn't one that would be at all helpful or ease their fear at what was happening to them.

"No, I don't," Dad sighed.

"Well, you sure know something," I muttered.

I was actually surprised that Hailey hadn't noticed that Dad had lied. She was normally very intuitive when it came to these kinds of things, especially when it came to Dad keeping secrets from us. Everything else probably weighted heavily on her mind, which was most likely the reason why she didn't notice.

"How're you doing, Hail?" Dad asked.

"I'm fine," Hailey responded instantly.

"Hailey," Dad frowned.

"I'm worried about Dean," Hailey replied truthfully. "And my leg hurts."

"We're gonna figure out something, baby," Dad stated firmly.

"I hope so," Hailey murmured.

Dad frowned I think out of all his children Hailey was always the one who could throw the ex-marine for a loop. I watched as Dad studied Hailey who was resting her broken leg on the side of dad's bed. Hailey was slouched in her seat. She seemed so distracted that she failed to notice Dad's eyes burning a hole in her head. I think that Dad could always relate to Sam, Aiden, and I more easily but Hailey was different. She was the only girl and not only that she was the baby of a very protective family, me included. Well, me especially, let's be honest here. Dad being gone most of her childhood made it especially difficult for Dad to know Hailey backwards and forwards like Aiden, Sam, and I did.

It was then I saw the game face of John Winchester slip. He was normally on his game being the best hunter he could be and that was a hell of the hunter. But, I always felt that when it came to us, his children, he didn't know what to do. Sure, he helped us become the very best hunters we could be. But, that was our drill sergeant and not our father. He was there sometimes arriving after a hunt, giving us money to help us last while he hunted. He kept us in having a roof over our head, and when he was there he was the person, who cooked for us, cared for us, and watched out for us. And, he was our father, our leader, and all of us loved him, I mean, of course we did. But, he was gone more than he was with us and his absence only increased as we all got older. And in his absence he put more space in the gap that was already forming in the relationship with each of us.

Hailey said a quick goodbye to dad as she crutched her way out of the room , saying that she was going to get some food. I followed Dad as he slipped into a wheelchair and wheeled his way down the hallway to my room. He slipped next to my bed and just watched me.

"Come on, Dad," I pleaded. "You gotta help me. I gotta get better, I gotta get back in there. I mean, you haven't called a soul for help. You haven't even tried. Aren't you gonna do anything? Aren't you even gonna say anything? I've done everything you have ever asked of me. Everything! I've given everything I've ever had. And now you're just gonna sit there and you're gonna watch me die? I mean, what the hell kind of father are you?"

I growled under my breath as Dad just sat there starring at me. It was then I heard a noise that I couldn't exactly place. I moved towards the door when a transparent ghost-like figure rushed past me.

"I take it you didn't see that," I smirked.

I ran into the hallway and than the thing rushed by me once more. As it went into the room, I followed after it. When I went into the room the one thing I didn't expect to see was a woman on the floor, gasping for air and shaking violently.

"Help!" She cried. "Help!"

"Hey! I need some help in here!" I shouted.

The doctors didn't answer or notice. I didn't know what else to do as I knelt down next to her

"I can't…breathe!" She gasped.

She's bleeding from the throat and I don't know what I could do. Instead, I had no choice but to what helplessly.

**Hailey's Point of View**

I hated when I was stuck someplace. I hated it even more when that place was a hospital and Dean was in a coma and there was nothing I could do to help him. I wondered, vaguely, if this was exactly how Dean had felt waiting for me to wake up. I bet it was and in this case it sucked.

I ended up walking back to Dad's room and just in time as I ran into Aiden and Sam on the outside of the room. Aiden looked worried and Sam just looked pissed. Great, what had happened now? We all walked into the room and I slipped into the seat by Dad's beside. Aiden leaned against my chair and we were watching Sam together. Judging my the rigid set in his shoulders something was about to explode.

"You're quiet," Dad said to Sam.

My eyes widened in surprise when Sam turned slamming the bed at Dad's feet.

"You think I wouldn't find out?" Sam demanded, harshly.

"What are you talking about?' Dad asked.

"That stuff from Bobby," Sam growled. "You don't use it to ward off a demon, you use it to summon one! You're planning on bringing the demon here, aren't you, and having some _stupid_ macho showdown."

"Sam," I groaned. While I had been expecting the fight I certainly wasn't going to try to stop it.

"I have a plan, Sam," Dad replied.

"That's exactly my point!" Sam shouted. "Dean is dying and you have a plan! You know what, you care more about this demon than you do saving your own son!"

"Dude," Aiden snapped. "This isn't helping Dean either!"

"Do not tell me how I feel," Dad hissed. "I'm doing this for Dean."

"How?" Sam stated. "How is revenge gonna help him? You're not thinking about anyone but yourself! It's the same selfish obsession."

"Guys, don't do this," I pleaded.

"It's funny, you know what, I thought this was your obsession, too! This demon killed your mother, destroyed your chance at a normal life. You begged me to be part of this hunt! Now, if you had a killed the damn thing when you had the chance, none of this would've happened!" Dad fumed.

"It was possessing you, Dad!" I retorted sharply. "He would've killed you, too!"

"Yeah, and your brother would be awake right now!" Dad shouted.

"You're a dick," I spat as I got out of my chair, fumbling with my crutches before beginning to walk out of the door. I didn't even get a chance to leave, it wasn't that Dad reamed me out for calling him a dick, although I was surprised that didn't happen. Instead the glass of water by Dad's beside was hurled to the floor and no one touched it.

It was at that moment when I felt Dean's presence. It wasn't that I could see anything but Dean always hated when any of us fought but especially Sam and Dad. If he was actually here he would've stopped it way before I called Dad a dick. Suddenly several doctors rushed by as an alert sounded. I looked at Dad who titled his head in the direction where the doctors had ran too.

"Something's going on out there," Dad responded.

I limped my way towards where the doctors had ran off too. Sam and Aiden were at my heels. I let out a whimper when I saw that the doctors had ran into Dean's room. Oh no, please, God, don't let him die. Aiden, Sam, and I had no choice as we watched the doctor's rush to save our older brother's life.

**Dean's Point of View**

Well, this was something new and different, Sam and Dad were fighting again. What was different was the fact that Hailey called Dad a dick before attempting to leave the room. I had distracted everyone when I had smacked the glass of water straight to the floor.

"Dude, I full-on Swayze'd that mother," I laughed.

That was when things started getting weird. I felt a sudden pain and crumbled to my knees as doctors ran outside the room, with Aiden, Sam, and Hailey following after them. I hurried after them too and saw that the doctor's had ran into my room and were attempting to use a defibrillator. I was flat lining. They kept shocking me but nothing was happening. After a few more times I realized that the thing I had seen earlier was hovering over me. It looked like a ghost but I wasn't sure it was.

"You get the hell away from me!" I shouted. "Stay back!"

"No change, I'm starting CPR," The doctor informed the nurses.

"I said get back!" I yelled as grabbed the creature.

When I actually made contact, it turned to be and threw me into the wall. It left the room and suddenly vanished.

"We have a pulse. We're back in sinus rhythm." The nurse said.

I looked over to my younger brothers and sister who looked completely relieved.

"Don't worry, guys," I vowed. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm getting that thing before it gets me. It's some kind of spirit, but I could grab it. And if I can grab it. I can kill it."

"Can't you see me?!" A woman shouted. "Why won't you look at me?!"

"Now what?" I grumbled as I went to look for the woman screaming. I found her as she was trying to get someone's attention but they couldn't see her either.

"Somebody talk to me!" The woman pleaded. "Say something, please!"

"Can you see me?" I asked.

"Yeah," The man sighed.

"All right, just calm down," I soothed once I reached the top of the landing where she was hovering. "What's your name?"

"Tessa," The woman answered.

"Okay, good, Tessa, I'm Dean," I smiled.

"What's happening to me?" Tessa asked. "Am I dead?"

"That sort of depends," I answered cautiously.

We walked around the hospital and when Tessa suddenly stopped and ran into the room, I realized what happened. A woman was kneeling by the bed where Tessa's body was laying.

"I don't understand," Tessa whispered. "I just came in for an appendectomy."

"I hate to bear bad news, but…I think there were some complications."

"It's just a dream, that's all," Tessa whimpered. "This is just a very weird, unbelievably vivid dream."

"Tessa, it's not a dream," I corrected gently.

"Then what else could it be?" Tessa retorted.

"You ever heard of an out-of-body experience?" I suggested.

"What are you, some New Age-y guy?" Tessa scoffed.

"You see me messing' with crystals or listening' to Yanni?" I grumbled, "it's actually a very old idea. It's got a lot of different names: bilocation, crisis apparitions, fetches. I think it's happening to us. And if it is, it means that we're spirits…of people close to death."

"So we're gonna die?" Tessa questioned

"No. Not if we hold on. Our bodies can get better, you can snap right back in there and wake up." I stated, firmly.

Tessa nodded and looked over to where her own body rested. I could see the idea of surviving this whole thing form into her mind and she straightened her shoulders and looked to me before walking over to the door. I followed after her and we began to walk down the hallway.

"I've gotta say, I'm impressed," I smiled.

"With what?" Tessa asked.

"You," I said. "I mean, most people in your spot would be Jell-O by now, but, uh, you're taking this pretty well. Maybe a little better than me."

"Don't get me wrong," Tessa answered. "I was pretty freak at first, but now, I don't know. Maybe I'm just dealing."

Tessa and I walked for a little while longer before I saw Aiden, Sam, and Hailey all walk into my room. Sam was holding a bag and I have to admit my interest was peaked.

"I'll be right back, Tessa," I said. "I've gotta check on my family."

"Okay."

I walked into the room where Hailey and Sam were arguing on either side of my body.

"This isn't going to work, Sammy," Hailey muttered.

"No one likes a skeptic, Hailey," Sam shot back.

"Whatever," Hailey rolled her eyes as Sam's attention's refocused on my body.

"Hey," Sam whispered. "I think maybe you're around, and if you are…don't make fun of me." At this Sam glared at Hailey who once again huffed and rolled her eyes. "But, there's one way we can talk."

Sam pulled a Ouija board out of the bag and set it up on the floor.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," I laughed as Sam sat cross-legged on the floor. He placed his fingers on the planchette.

"Dean?" Sam called as Aiden flopped down next to him while Hailey leaned against the wall. "Dean are you here?"

"God, I feel like I'm at a freaking slumber party," I scoffed as I sat down across from Sam, "All right, Sam, this isn't gonna work."

I grabbed the other side of the planchette and moved it to the word 'yes'. As I did this Sam's eyes lit up while Hailey and Aiden just looked completely shocked. Sam than smirked at that them as if saying told-you-so and than in synch Aiden and Hails rolled their eyes. I laughed missing being right there was my siblings. There was never a dull moment in the Winchester family of that I was certain.

"It's good to hear from you, man," Sam smiled. "It hasn't been the same without you, Dean."

"Damn straight," I laughed.

"Dean, what?" Sam began to ask as I began to spell out hunt.

"What?" Hailey gasped. "Are you hunting?"

I moved the planchette back to 'yes'.

"Dean it's in the hospital?" Aiden asked.

"What are you hunting?" Sam questioned. "Do you know what it is?"

"One question at a time, dude," I scolded.

"What is it?" Sam demanded.

"A reaper, I don't think it's killing people. I think it's taking them. You know, their time is just up," I explained as I spelled out Reaper for my siblings.

"A reaper?" Sam mumbled. "Dean? Is it after you?"

I moved the planchette back to the word "yes" then I took my hands off.

"If it's here naturally…" Sam began.

"There's no way to stop it," Aiden murmured as Hailey just looked defeated.

"Yeah, ya can't kill death," I shrugged.

"Great." Hailey growled as she jerked unsteadily to her feet. "This is just fucking terrific."

"Hailey," Sam began.

"Shove it, Sam!" Hailey snapped.

"We're going to figure this out," Aiden soothed.

"How, Aiden?" Hailey retorted, blue eyes blazing with a mixture of anger, fear, and sadness. "You can't kill death and you can't stop it either. We're screwed here."

"No, no, no!" Sam snapped. "There's gotta be a way. Dad'll know what to do."

I frowned at Hailey and Aiden who both looked extremely upset and then I looked at Aiden who seemed to be rallying himself as he turned to look at Hailey.

"We're not giving up," Aiden said turning to tower over Hailey. "Dean would never just let something get us and we're not going to let it get him either."

"I know," Hailey whimpered. "Okay, I know. It's just this sucks."

"Dad wasn't in his room," Sam said.

"What?" Hailey asked.

"Where is he?" I questioned.

"But, I got dad's journal, so who knows? Maybe there's something in here."

All four of us looked at the journal as Sam began to flip through it. I looked at my little brothers and sister suddenly proud of them, well, I was already proud at them. Hell, they were good smart kids and they were growing up and I was happy at the people they were becoming.

"Thanks for not giving up on me, guys," I smiled and then that smile quickly fell as I glanced on the information on Reapers, "Son of a bitch!"

I stormed out of my room and into Tessa's. She was sitting calmly on her bed. Gone were her hospital pajamas as well as the woman mourning and the body that just laid there.

"Hi, Dean," Tessa greeted.

"You know, you read the most interesting things," I began. "For example, did you know Reapers can alter human perception? I sure didn't. Basically, they can make themselves appear however they want. Like, say, a pretty girl. You're much prettier than the last Reaper I came across."

"I was wondering when you'd figure it out," Tessa sighed.

"I should've known," I growled. "That whole 'accepting fate' rap of yours was far too laidback for a dead chick. But you know, the mother and the body, I'm still trying to figure that out."

"It's my sandbox," Tessa shrugged. "I can make you see whatever I want."

"What is this, like, a turn-on for you? Huh? Toying with me?" I demanded.

"You didn't give me much choice," Tessa responded. "You saw my true form and you flipped out, kind of hurts a girl's feeling. This was the only way I could get you to talk to me."

"Fine," I snapped. "What do you want to talk about?"

"How death is nothing to fear," Tessa explained resting a hand on my cheek. "It's your time to go, Dean. And you're living on borrowed time already."

"Look, I'm sure you've heard this before," I said. "But you've gotta make an exception. You've gotta cut me a break."

"Stage three," Tessa nodded. "Bargaining."

"I'm serious." I growled. "My family is in danger. See, we're kind of in the middle of this…war. And they need me."

"The fight's over," Tessa responded.

"No, it isn't!" I snapped.

"It is for you, Dean, you're not the first soldier I've plucked from the field," Tessa soothed. "They all feel the same. They can't leave, victory hangs in the balance. But they're wrong. The battle goes on without them."

"My brothers, my sister, they could die without me," I pleaded.

"Maybe they will," Tessa shrugged. "Maybe they won't. Nothing you can do about it. It's an honorable death, a warrior's death."

"I think I'll pass on the seventy-two virgins, thanks. I'm not that into prude chicks anyway," I muttered.

"That's funny," Tessa smiled, "you're very cute."

"There's no such thing as an honorable death. I mean, my corpse is gonna rot in the ground and my family is gonna die." I vowed before thinking for a moment and than saying, "No. I'm not goin' with you. I don't care what you do."

"Well…like you said, there's always a choice. I can't make you come with me. But you're not getting back in your body. And that's just facts. So yes, you can stay," Tessa explained, calmly, "you'll stay here for years, disembodied, scared. And over the decades, it'll probably drive you mad. Maybe you'll even get violent."

"What are you sayin'?" I asked

"Dean…how do you think angry spirits are born? They can't let go, and they can't move on. And you're about to become one, the same thing you hunt." Tessa shrugged.

**Hailey's Point of View**

We were all just sitting around Dean's hospital bed. There wasn't a lot we could do and I hated this. I felt completely useless and felt even more useless with the fact that I had a bum leg. And now Dad was missing and Dean was…

"Oh, my god" Aiden cried.

My attention shot to the hospital bed where I saw Dean rise up out of his bed gagging on the breathing tube. Oh, thank god. Dean was okay. I nearly fell over with relief as Sam went running outside calling for help. A few minutes later, Sam came back with a doctor in tow. After a quick evaluation the doctor seemed at a loss.

"I can't explain it," the Doctor shrugged. "The edema's vanished. The internal contusions are healed. Your vitals are good. You've got some kind of angel watching over you."

"Thanks, Doc," Dean smiled.

As the doctor left, Dean turned his attention back to us.

"You said a reaper was after me?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Sam replied.

"How'd I ditch it?" Dean questioned.

"You got me," Sam mumbled. "Dean, you really don't remember anything?"

"No, except this pit in my stomach, Sam something's wrong," Dean stated.

We didn't get to question Dean as Dad came into the room.

"How're you feeling, dude?" Dad asked.

"Fine, I guess," Dean shrugged. "I'm alive."

"That's what matters," Dad replied.

"Where were you last night?" Sam questioned.

"I had some things I had to take care of," Dad responded.

"Well, that's specific," Sam sneered.

"Come on, Sam," Dean reproached.

"Did you go after the demon?" Sam growled.

"No," Dad retorted.

"You know, why don't I believe you right now?" Sam scoffed. I heard Dean sigh in obvious disapproval. I just shook my head and stayed out of it.

"Can we not fight?" Dad asked smiling at Sam. "You know, half the time we're fighting, I don't know what we're fighting about. We're just butting heads. Sammy, I've made some mistakes. But I've always done the best I could. I just don't wanna fight anymore, okay?"

"Dad, are you all right?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Dad said. "Yeah, I'm just tired. Would you mind getting me a cup of caffeine?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded. "Yeah, sure."

"Aiden, can you escort Hailey back to her room?" Dad ordered softly a sad look in his eye.

"What?" I asked. "Dad, why?"

"You're exhausted, Hailey," Dad said. "You need your sleep."

"Okay," I muttered.

As we were walking back to my room we ran into Sam, who was carrying Dad's coffee.

"Guys?" Sam asked.

"Dad says I need sleep," I shrugged.

"Yeah," Sam nodded. "He's probably right."

With that we continued walking to the door but I stopped when I heard Sam screaming.

"Help!" Sam shouted. "Somebody help me!"

Aiden and I glanced at each other for a second before running or in my case, crutching to where Sam's shout had come from. We ran into Dean along the way along with a few dozen doctors. Dean really shouldn't have been moving this soon after waking up, but I wasn't really in the place to talk. Sam met us at the door with tears in his eyes.

We watched as the doctors hooked Dad up to several machines and started giving him CPR. A nurse noticed us hanging by the door and attempted to make us leave.

"No, nom no, it's our dad," Dean snapped. "It's our dad!"

"Okay, let's try again, an amp of atropine," The doctor ordered as the nurse backpedaled away from us.

"Come on," Dean muttered as well all watched.

"Okay," The doctor sighed. "Stop compression."

"What?" I yelped. "No!"

I couldn't even move in the room as Aiden grabbed me gently keeping me from moving.

"Come on, come on," Dean continued to mutter.

"Still no pulse," The nurse stated.

"Okay, that's it, everybody," The doctor said. "I'll call it…"

"No, oh god, please, no," I whimpered.

Aiden's hold tightened on me as he spin me around tucking me in his arms as I sobbed against his chest.

"Time of death…10:41 AM."


	13. Crying Won’t Help You Now

**Chapter Thirteen: Crying Won't Help You Now**

"_The hardest part of saying goodbye is having to do it again every single day. Every day we face the same truth that life is fleeting. That our time here is short. And to honor the fallen we must live our own lives well." _

It had been two days since Dad had murdered and it felt like it had been years. We were all exhausted and upset. Luckily, Bobby had gotten came and gotten us once Dean and I were released. He didn't say anything about Dad, but someone must have clued him in. He was also willing to put us up instead we got back on our feet, or until Dean had rebuilt the impala, whichever came first.

While we were still staying at Bobby's there was one thing we had to take care of. Dad. Bobby lent us a car and together we all drove to an abandoned patch of land. I couldn't do much with my bum leg but I watched as Aiden found an old bed to put dad on as Sam and Dean got sticks. I moved my way over and started to salt his corpse and than Aiden poured lighter fluid over Dad's body. When we were all together, Dean lit a match before tossing it on the lighter fluid covered sticks on the base of the homemade funeral pyre.

"Before he," Sam whispered choking on a sob. He cleared his throat again, "Before he…Did he say anything to you? About anything?"

"No," Dean answered, his voice rough with emotion. "Nothing."

I watched as a single tear fell from Dean's eye. We all had different reactions. Sam was crying freely. Aiden was crying but kept wiping the tears away. That one tear was the only one Dean cried. My reaction seemed to be mixture of all of everything but closer to Aiden's than anything else. The tears were pouring but I kept wiping them away. We waited until the last of our father had burned away and we continued to just stand there, even when there was nothing left. I hugged wrapped my arms around myself as I teetered awkwardly on my crutches as I kept my broken leg off the ground.

"Lets go," Dean ordered.

We didn't say a word as we moved out and back to the car that Bobby had lent us. Time passed by in strange lurches and sudden stops for the rest of the week. Nothing really changed. Dean worked on the car, Sam worked on cracking Dad's old phone, Aiden played music on his guitar, and I just wandered around, despite the fact that I was supposed to be on bed rest. I couldn't be in the house when Aiden was playing guitar because his music was so sad. But, I knew he wasn't doing it on purpose, he was just playing how he felt He wasn't playing any song specifically instead strumming the same mournful beat. Everything was so screwed to hell. I wasn't hungry and every time I did eat, if only to keep up appearances, it eventually came right back up. The only thing I could keep down was water.

I hated the fact that my leg was broken. The plaster cast acted like a ball and chain as far as I was concerned. But, I refused to let it stop me from getting out of the house and moving around. When I was little I loved Bobby's house mostly because of all the hiding spots, it made hide-n-seek incredibly awesome. But, Dean had put the kibosh on that game after I had hid in a trunk of an abandoned and wrecked car and it had taken Aiden and Sam took two hours to look for me before they cheated and got Dean involved.

Still, being at Bobby's just made me feel safe but so much has changed. Now we were orphans, we had no gun to kill the demon that started this mess, no car, and no family, period. Our father had died and with his death, tore us all apart. We had all been avoiding each other, only coming together at meal times because that was one of Bobby's rules. He also said that the road had made all of us skinny as hell and he'd be damned if we were malnourished in his house.

I was in my room that Bobby had given me the first time all of us stayed at his house. I threw open the window, glad that he had given me the window that led directly to the roof flat. It was a place where I could sit and just watch everything. I turned around, resting my crutches against the wall as I shimmied out of the window. Once I was fully on the roof, I maneuvered myself until my back was resting against the side. I had found out about this spot a few years ago and it never failed to give me room to think.

Despite the fact that I had always thought of Dean as my father, I couldn't discount the fact that Dad was actually my father. And that was what made me angry. My father was absent during the majority of my childhood, as well as that of my brothers. And, now we're barely together and he up and dies on us. He was perfectly fine and he just died out of nowhere. If that didn't point out foul play, I didn't know what did. Out of all the emotions I had felt since losing Dad, anger was the most predominant. I was angry at everything, my messed up family and the fact that we couldn't grieve together, the fact that my dad died, the fact that he was gone hunting all the time and the times he was back he was more of a drill sergeant than anything else, and this stupid leg that wasn't only broken but it hurt like hell.

The worst part of all this anger was the fact that I was angry at myself. I felt guilty as hell for not being able to help Dean get out of his coma. I was angry at the fact, that while I was happy everyone else had survived the wreck pretty much unscathed. I was more worried about Dean than anyone else even Dad. I had said it and thought it a million times if it came down to it I'd wait Dean and not Dad by my side and that, in and of itself was fucked up. What kid chooses between family members? Well, rationally it would be like choosing whether or not to live with mom or Dad when there was a divorce. But, instead of a mom, I had a father and a Dean. And, god help me, I'd chose Dean every single time.

"I'm sorry, Dad," I whispered as I began to cry for the millionth time in the span of seventy two hours. "I'm sorry for everything. I never realized how much we all needed you and it just sucks."

"Hailey!" Bobby shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "Dinner, Darlin!"

"Coming!" I responded.

I shuffled back to the window swinging my body around so I was going in feet first. When I was straddling the windowsill and grabbed my crutches before swinging the rest of my body into the room. Five minutes later I was seated at the table and eating the pasta that was set in front of me. After I had taken a few bites I looked to Bobby.

"Hey, Bobby, can I borrow one of your cars?" I asked, politely.

"What for?" Dean asked.

"I have my period," I blurted.

I tried my hardest not to laugh at the reactions that got. Aiden and Sam paled, Bobby looked uncomfortable, and Dean just looked sick. Sometimes it was awesome being the only girl because than excuses like, "Oh, I'm on my period…" actually works as a conversation killer. They weren't about to question me any further.

"Uh, sure," Bobby coughed. "Take the mustang."

"Awesome," I grinned getting up and putting my crutches underneath my armpits.

"Aren't you going to finish eating?" Sam questioned.

"I'm done," I replied looking at my half-finished plate of food.

"Get back here soon," Dean ordered. "You need your rest."

"Yeah," I muttered as I moved out of the kitchen. "Sure."

In any other circumstances I probably would've been restrained to a bed by this point if Dean thought it would make me get more rest. But, I thought and knew I was fine. I didn't need any more sleep. I didn't need any more chance for nightmares to creep into my mind. I had enough when I was awake. I moved out of Bobby's house and down to the mustang shoving my crutches in the passenger seat, as I put the car in drive. I was happy that it was only my left leg that broke, so that I was able to still drive the car.

To be completely honest, I didn't have my period, I just needed to get out of the house. In the town nearest to Bobby's there was a bar that normally didn't card and if they did, well, I had a fake Ids. The one string attached to my fake Ids were the fact that I wasn't supposed to use them unless we were working a job. I was lucky enough to be in decent clothing as I moved my way into the crowded bar. I moved as fast as I could to the bar.

"What can I get you?" The bartender asked.

"Tequila shots," I shouted over the music, "and keep them coming."

"You got it," The bartender nodded.

I smirked as the bartender just left the bottle and the shot glass in front of me. After I had knocked back enough shots to make my head feel fuzzy, I slowed it down a little. While I wanted to get drunk I didn't wanna hurt myself. I gasped as a hand came around my waist.

"Hails," A familiar voice growled in my ear before spinning me around.

"Trevor?" I whispered.

"Hey, baby," Trevor smirked. "Long time, no see."

I couldn't say a word before Trevor pulled me off of the bar stool. Slapping sixty dollars down on the bar before helping me towards the door. I made my way to the mustang but before I could get into it, Trevor had closed the door pinning me against the car with his body leaning close to mine, with his arms on either side of my head. Trevor's eyes were burning in their intensity but I closed the distance between us and kissed him softly. After a few moments he pulled away, resting his forehead against mine.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Trevor asked.

"My phone broke," I responded.

Trevor frowned before whispering, "I'm sorry about your dad."

"Thanks" I murmured.

"We should get you home," Trevor said. "Give me the keys."

I gave Trevor the mustang's keys as he helped me into the passenger side door. We didn't really say much as we drove back to Bobby's compound but just as we were about to enter the main stretch of land I got an idea.

"Pull over," I whispered.

"What?" Trevor asked. "We're almost there."

"Come on, Trev, I haven't seen you in weeks," I reproached.

"Alright," Trevor smirked as he pulled the car over.

When the car stopped moving I opened my door and slid out. Before I had straightened up, Trevor was at my side instantly helping me up. I didn't need to reach for my crutches as Trevor grabbed me around the waist being gentle as he laid me on an abandoned and destroyed car. I leaned against the windshield smiling as Trevor climbed up after me, careful of my broken leg as he rested a hand on the side of my face before kissing me again. The kiss quickly turned into something more serious as our passion grew more intense. I felt Trevor run his tongue against my bottom lip and I opened my mouth eagerly letting Trevor dominate the kiss as I gently rolled us over so that I was straddling his hips.

"Hailey!" I heard someone growl.

"Shit, I groaned.

I rolled off of Trevor to see exactly which brother had busted me. Oh, thank god, it was only Aiden.

"Hi Aiden!" I greeted joyfully.

Aiden frowned and glared at me before his eyes met Trevor's.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Aiden snapped.

"Aiden, stop it," I ordered firmly

"Come on, Hails!" Aiden snapped. "We've been gone for weeks, you broke your phone. Exactly how does that _boyfriend_ of yours know where we are?"

"I was staying at the roadhouse," Trevor explained. "Ellen heard about the accident and we figured that Bobby Singer would be your next stop. Ellen called Bobby and I was on my way to make sure Hailey was okay. We ran into each other in town."

"See, Aiden?" I questioned.

"Whatever," Aiden growled. "But, he's not staying here."

"Fine," Trevor soothed. "I was just making sure your sister, my girlfriend was okay."

"Can you give us a few minutes?" I asked.

"Dean expected you back ten minutes ago," Aiden replied. "So I'd hurry up if I were you."

I frowned in annoyance but I knew he was right. Frankly, now was not the time to be making some waves especially when were all close to the edge enough already. After Trevor had told me that he was going to head back to the roadhouse. We kissed a quick goodbye and I promised to call him as soon as I got a new phone. I kissed him again and hugged him before I got into the mustang and drove closer to Bobby's house. When I limped my way, crutches and all back into the house Dean was waiting for me at the foot of the stairs.

"Ever heard of answering your damn phone?" Dean growled.

"It broke in the accident," I replied.

"What?" Dean asked. "No one told me that."

"Sorry," I shrugged. "Didn't think it was all that important."

"Yeah, well, you're getting a new one," Dean snapped.

"Okay," I whispered.

"Get some sleep," Dean sighed. "That cast isn't gonna come off any faster if you're not letting yourself heal."

"Yeah," I muttered.

II was halfway up the stairs when Dean spoke again.

"Oh, and Hailey?" Dean called.

"What?" I asked.

"If you're gonna lie about where you're going next time actually bring what you said you needed," Dean stated, "Or is there an invisible tampon box I'm not aware of? Does it also smell weirdly like tequila."

I grit my teeth in annoyance as I quietly berated myself. What amateur mistakes to make! I was losing my edge, but it seemed that Dean, even in a bad headspace, was more in the know about all of us than ever.

"Fork it over, Hails," Dean ordered as he closed the distance between us and stuck his hand out.

There really was no point in lying to him. I had been busted and lying about it would just piss him off. I slid my fake id out of my bra and handed it to Dean who looked mildly revolted of where I had decided to keep it. But just as quickly as the disgust was there it was gone in an instant as Dean schooled his features and looked at me sternly.

"These ids are for cases only," Dean scolded. "You're not drinking until you're twenty one or if me, Aiden, or Sam give something to you with the order to drink it. Got me?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

With the conversation at an apparent close, I walked the rest of the way up the stairs and slipped into my bed. I had to admit, maybe I was taking it a little to hard on myself. After all, I had been throw through a windshield, broke my leg, and lost a pretty good chunk of my blood. I really should be focusing any energy I had into recuperating but I just couldn't let myself rest.

For whatever reason I didn't want myself to heal. Sure, I'd gladly cut this freaking cast off my leg by myself but when my body heals the only wounds that will be left are emotional ones, the ones that are too deep for anyone to help me with. I, unlike my father, was still alive but I felt for all the world like I had died already.

Even with me feeling dead to the world it began to get easier to just pretend everything was okay. And the more I pretended the better I felt, but I knew full well that if anyone pried into how I was feeling the façade that I made would shatter instantaneously. I had started to get more rest, once my nightmares and guilt started to recede just a little. And, after a while, I was sick of the isolation that my brothers and I were putting each other through. We were all dealing with Dad's death in different ways but I had never known my brothers and I to be so distant with one another.

So, not even two weeks into staying at Bobby's house, I was helping Dean work on the impala. The impala was Dean's and despite sharing everything else with Sam, Aiden, and I he refused to share this with us. The impala was the one thing that was Dean's and Dean's alone. While we were all allowed to drive in on occasion, hell, the impala was our home if we ever had one, Dean normally let no one else fix her up. But, even Dean couldn't deny the fact that I knew cars. When I was younger, on nice sunny days, Dean would come outside and tune up the impala. I'd be sitting on the roof or the ground and hand him whatever tools he needed. As he grew older he began to show me what he was doing instead of just telling me to hand him a socket wrench, whenever he needed one.

The first day I went out to where Dean was working on the impala, I wasn't sure if he would turn me away. He had turned down Sam and Aiden's previous offers to help and I thought I'd be no different. Instead, it was like I was eight again. I wasn't allowed to touch anything but I handed Dean the tools he needed. As we were all healing we began to get back into our normal selves. We all still had a long way to go but we were making progress. Case-in-point? Dean was nagging me about me just taking it easy. I swear, the man had sixth sense for whenever I even attempted to stand up straight on both legs or hop around without my crutches.

"Hails, grab me that socket extension, would ya?" Dean shouted to me from under the car.

"Which size?" I asked.

"3/4s," Dean called.

I got up and ruffled through it until I found what Dean had asked for. My crutches laid on the ground and I knew it would only take one hop to get close enough to just hand the extension to Dean.

"Use the crutches, Hailey," Dean scolded before I could even take a step.

I huffed under my breath as I grabbed one crutch and used it to get over to Dean. Honestly, people thought it was me and Sam with the psychic crap? How do you explain Dean just knowing that you're going to do something before you even put it into action. But, it was one of those things that I couldn't even complain about. If I said one negative thing about my crutches, Dean or Sam or even Aiden would invariably respond that I could just be sitting and resting like I was supposed to be. I was as distracted by Bobby's screen door slamming shut as Sam walked over to us.

"How's the car coming along?" Sam asked.

"Slow," Dean grunted as a piece of metal fell next to him.

"Yeah?" Sam said. "Need any help?"

"What, you under a hood?" Dean scoffed. "I'll pass."

"Need anything else then?" Sam asked.

I looked up at Sam and than over to Dean knowing that this wasn't going to end well. Dean didn't like sharing his feelings on a good day and he sure as hell didn't like being poked at repeatedly especially over something Dean knew that Sam would never ask on any other day. Asking about the car as just the beginning of Sam easing himself into dangerous waters. Part of the reason Sam had been turned away at every offer to help, other than him not being all that great with cars was that Sam wanted to know what was going on in Dean's head. And, Dean had made it clear that Dad's death was not going to be a topic of conversation, ever.

"Stop it, Sam," Dean warned.

"Stop what?" Sam retorted.

"Stop asking me if I need anything, stop asking me if I'm okay. I'm okay," Dean said as he switched out tools that were all laid out on the table, "really, I promise."

"All right, Dean," Sam sighed. "It's just we've been at Bobby's house for over two weeks now and you haven't brought up dad once."

"You know what, you're right," Dean rolled his eyes. "Come here. I'm gonna lay my head gently on your shoulder. Maybe we can cry, hug, maybe even slow dance."

"Don't patronize me, Dean," Sam snapped. "Dad is dead! The colt is gone, and it seems pretty damn likely that the demon is behind all this, and you're acting like nothing happened!"

"What do you want me to say?" Dean spat.

"Say something, all right?" Sam barked. "Hell, say anything! Aren't you angry? Don't you want revenge? But all you do is sit out here all day, buried underneath this damn car!"

"Revenge, huh?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Sam retorted.

"Sounds good," Dean sneered "You got any leads on where the demon is? Are you making heads or tail on any of Dad's research? Cause I sure ain't. But, you know what, when we do finally find it: oh no, wait. Like you said the Colt's gone. But, I'm sure you've found another way to kill it. We've got nothing, Sam. Nothing, okay? So you know what? The only thing I can do is work on the car."

"Well, we've got something," Sam corrected. "That's what I came out here to tell you. It's one of Dad's old phones. It took me a while, but I cracked his voicemail code. Listen to this."

Sam took the phone out of his pocket and gave it to Dean. Dean put the phone on speaker and we listened to the message, "John, it's Ellen, again. Look, don't be stubborn. You know I can help you. Call me."

Dean looked at the phone before handing it back to Sam.

"So, what it's Ellen?" I stated.

"That message is four months old," Sam responded.

"Dad saved the message for four months?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Sam nodded.

"Well, then I guess we'll be going to the Roadhouse," Dean replied.

"I'll pack us up," Sam volunteered.

"Good, we'll leave in thirty," Dean said. "Go ask Bobby we can use one of his cars."

I watched as Sam nodded to himself, turning around and going back into Bobby's house as he no doubt went to tell Aiden about the plans. Since we only had a half hour to pack up, I got unsteadily to my feet and reached out for one of my crutches.

"Hailey, use both of them," Dean growled.

"I only need one," I retorted.

"I don't give a crap, you're using both," Dean said, firmly handing me the other crunch.

I huffed grabbed the other crutch before going up Bobby's stairs and into the my room. I quickly packed up my stuff and then came back out into the hall. Seeing how I couldn't go down the stairs and carry my duffels, I threw my bags down the stairs. Aiden appeared at the base of the stairs and looked at my bags and than at me raising an eyebrow.

"Did you just throw a bag full of weapons down the stairs?" Aiden asked.

"I can't carry them while holding my crutches," I shrugged.

"You're so lucky Dean didn't see you do that," Aiden shook his head.

"None of them went off," I responded. "And I didn't want to fall."

"Whatever, Hails," Aiden shrugged. He leaned down and grabbed my bags for me as I made my way slowly down the stairs. When I got to the landing, Aiden and I made our way out of Bobby's house and into the yard. Sam was throwing the bags into the back of a minivan? Oh, Dean was gonna be pissed.

Ten minutes later we were leaving Bobby's compound as we made our way to the Roadhouse. I was actually happy that we were in the minivan because I had an entire bench seat to myself so that I could stretch my leg out. I quickly fell back asleep after I took another vicodin. It always made me sleepy. When I woke up we were just pulling into the Roadhouse's lot. I yawned and stretched as I hopped out of the car and than grabbed the crutches.

"This is humiliating," Dean growled. "I feel like a friggin soccer mom!"

I laughed and than coughed as Dean sent me a sharp look before slamming the driver's side door.

"It's the only car Bobby had running," Sam soothed.

I didn't hear Dean's comeback if he had any as I walked to the front door. When I found the front door locked, I dug out the lock picks and quickly opened the front door. It swung open and cracked against the wall as I crutched my way inside. I vaguely wondered what time it was because the place was deserted.

"Hello!" Aiden called. "Anyone here?"

"Aiden," Dean hissed.

"What?" Aiden responded. "Where the hell is everyone?"

"I found Ash," I shrugged.

I limped over to the pool table and shook Ash until he began to stir.

"Closing time? " Ash yawned.

"Ash," I said again.

"Hailey?" Ash questioned.

"Uh, yeah," I nodded. "Where is everyone?"

"Sleeping," Ash answered.

"Hailey?" I turned around and saw Ellen and Jo coming into the main room.

Ellen hugged me before hugging each of my brothers, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Dean said. "We're all right."

"Really, I know how close you and your dad…"

"I'm fine," Dean interrupted.

"We, uh, found a message on one of Dad's old phones," Sam said, quickly. "You said you could help. Help with what?"

"The demon, of course," Ellen answered. "I heard he was closing in on it."

"Oh," Sam sighed.

There really wasn't anything else to say. We had been closing in on the demon but that was then and this is now. We had no idea what to do from here. Sensing the conversation had come to a close Ellen got us all drinks. I was drinking my water when I felt Jo drop down beside me.

"You okay?"

"Yup."

"Hailey."

"I'm not talking about it."

"Hailey!" I whirled around to figure out why Sam had called for me. I found Dean, Sam, and Aiden were on the other side of the bar looking at a manila folder in front of them. Wondering what it was, I got up and made my way over to them.

"Yeah?" I asked

"We have a case," Aiden informed me.

"Okay," I shrugged.

"But you're staying here," Dean said.

"What?" I cried. "Hell no!"

"This isn't up for discussion," Dean stated.

"Like hell it is," I grumbled. "I just got off of being benched."

I looked up and noticed that the entire area around Dean and I had suddenly cleared out, leaving us alone.

"You're being unreasonable," Dean growled glaring down at me. "You have another two weeks in that cast."

"I can still go," I said. I didn't know what was more irritating. The fact that Dean was planning on leaving me here or the fact that I sounded like a petulant brat who hadn't gotten the toy she wanted.

"You can't hunt like this. How can you run? You can't. You're a liability to us and yourself," Dean sighed.

"Dean, I can research or something, you can't just leave me here," I complained.

"You need to rest," Dean said.

"I'm fine," I responded quickly ignoring Dean's stern gaze. The gaze that I had never been able to successfully lie too.

I glared up at him getting more and more irritated. Yeah, rest was crucial to recuperation, I knew that it had been drilled into my head since I was a kid. But, Dean needed it just as much, if not more than I did. He had been in the coma just because all his injuries had suddenly healed didn't mean that he could just walk around like nothing that happened. I gasped when Dean suddenly moved grabbing my face in both of his hands and keeping steady eye contact.

"Don't lie to me, Hails," Dean said firmly. "Don't think I haven't noticed. You're not sleeping, you're not eating unless one of us directly say something to you about it."

I didn't want to talk about what I was or wasn't doing and I had a feeling that Dean would want an explanation because without one it just doesn't make sense. Truth was I couldn't even make sense out of it. I think it most likely came down to control. I couldn't control my father dying so instead I turned to things I could control, my body. I attempted to remove my head from Dean's grasp and avert my gaze, but Dean held firm and continued to stare at him until I began to once again maintain eye contact.

"And the worst thing you could be doing is not staying off your broken leg," Dean stated. "You're only exacerbating it by refusing to give it a break. You can't keep this up, Hailey, you'll hurt yourself, or maybe even one of us if we're on a case."

"Dean!" I protested. He couldn't possibly think that I'd hurt one of my brothers on a hunt just because I was 'tired'.

"I'm completely serious, Hailey," Dean warned. " You don't start taking care of yourself and I'll send you to that school where our cousin Reid goes."

"Spenser?" I demanded. "You're threatening to send me to boarding school?"

"It's not a threat, Hailey, it's a promise," Dean said.

Ever since Dad had died tears were always close to the surface, which was why I couldn't be blamed when tears filled my eyes. Dean looked just as upset as I did, I could tell that he didn't want me to in school, a place where he couldn't protect me.

"You need to take care of yourself," Dean repeated. "Get some sleep and just take it easy and only after that you can get back in this."

"Fine," I huffed. "What are you hunting anyway?"

"A killer clown apparently," Dean smirked.

"Ugh, you can go take care of that all by yourself," I shuddered.

I laughed as Dean rolled his eyes and then before I could even flinch, Dean had removed his hands from my face only to wrap me in a headlock.

"Dean, let go," I complained.

"Oh, I'll let go when I feel like it," Dean retorted.

"Dean, if you give me a noogie I'll kill you," I threatened.

"I'm so scared," Dean laughed as his knuckles ground into my head, messing my hair up in the process.

Seeing no way to way to get out of Dean's hold. I resorted to a different tactic. Most people wouldn't think the fearless Dean Winchester was ticklish, but, luckily, I knew better. Dean's sides had always been his undoing when it came to sparring. Normally sparring went in age order but there were always exceptions. Dean normally wiped the floor with me when it came to sparring, which was why I had to fight dirty and tickle his sides. I began to tickle him and soon he released me as if I were poisonous. He was glaring at me as he folded his arms.

"Tickling?" Dean demanded.

"I said no noogies," I shrugged.

Dean huffed and rolled his eyes as Sam and Aiden came back into the main room.

"We about ready?" Sam asked.

"You're asking me?" Dean scoffed. "I've been waiting on you two."

I laughed at the annoyed look Sam and Aiden threw at Dean in stereo. I hugged Dean, Sam, and Aiden, surprisingly content for being by myself. I felt even better as I watched Aiden, Sam, Dean, and I smile for the first time in days. Dad might have died but we were all going to be okay, eventually, everything was going to be okay again.


	14. The Walking Wounded

**Chapter Fourteen: The Walking Wounded**

"_Desperate for words, Lost in a maze, It falls apart, You loose your place, It hurts so bad, You cry for days, Time heals all pain, You will be okay"_

I hadn't been anywhere without my brothers in a long time. Not since I had kidnapped by that demon. Before than, I could've been mistaken for being sown to Dean's hip. It wasn't often where you saw me without him somewhere around. But, after I had been retrieved from that warehouse, the idea of personal space was a fleeting idea. For the first couple weeks of me being awake we all bunked in one motel room with me sharing a bed with Dean. There were also random touches, hugs, light punches and I had caught each of my brothers had just watching me.

I wondered if they missed me half as much as I missed them. Sure, I loved being able to stay in my room in the roadhouse without being bothered every five minutes. But, I still wondered how the hunt was doing. I couldn't believe there was a killer clown somewhere on the loose, and it was somehow a supernatural problem. That was the one reason why I was glad that Dean hadn't let me come. I hated clowns, always had and most likely, always would. Sam and I shared that phobia and Dean and Aiden never let us forget it.

There wasn't a lot to do at the roadhouse. I was looking forward to getting my cast taken off, Ellen was bringing me to a doc-in-a-box and hopefully it had healed already. It was nearly three weeks and most broken bones took at least four to six weeks, depending on the severity of the break in question The doctors had said that it was a clean break, so hopefully that would work in my favor. The leg felt fine but I didn't want to risk walking on it just yet.

I'm betting the one thing Dean didn't know when he decided to leave me at the roadhouse was the fact that Trevor was staying here too. I doubt that Dean would've willingly left us alone, had he known. We spent nearly every moment together and it was nice. He helped me pass the time as well as practice my abilities. That was the one thing we had to get away from the roadhouse for.

"You sure you're up for this?" Trevor asked for the thousandth time.

"Yes," I groaned.

"Because we can wait," Trevor continued.

"Trevor," I growled.

"Okay," Trevor placated. "Okay, I was just checking."

Trevor had found a completely abandoned property the perfect place for us to practice. He had a pretty good handle on his abilities at least from what I've seen but I was curious to see him in action. When Trevor pulled his car behind the barn and we walked into the middle of the field. I immediately spotted an archery target with a number of knives laying a few feet away. I eyed the knives cautiously. I had always been good when it came to knives, I actually preferred them to guns but none of the knives in front of me were mine.

"Try to lift the knife," Trevor said.

Before today, my abilities were just a defense mechanism, something that happened when I felt threatened, was threatened, or one emotion was stronger than normal. Trevor was trying to help me so that my telekinesis can just happen whenever I want it too. 'Move' I prodded myself in my mind, just let it move. Just as soon as I thought about it moving, three knives began to lift themselves from the ground.

"You're doing great, Hails," Trevor smiled. "Try throwing them at the target."

I glanced at the target and immediately the knives went zooming into the target imbedding themselves around the bull's-eye. That was awesome. Trevor raised an eyebrow before looking at me.

"Neat trick," Trevor nodded.

"Why don't you show me what you got?" I smirked.

Trevor laughed before he snapped his fingers. A little flame appeared on the tip of his index finger. Now that was cool but I continued watching knowing that Trevor was just getting started. He looked at it before blowing at it. Instead of the flame extinguishing from the air it blew out expanding until there was a floating ball of fire the size of a beach ball and just as suddenly as it appeared it vanished.

"Now, I want to do that," I grinned.

"You kidding?" Trevor scoffed. "That knife trick is bad ass."

"You haven't seen anything yet," I smiled.

"Oh, is that so?" Trevor smirked.

"Yeah," I laughed.

Trevor closed the distance between us and I raised my eyebrow at him. He curled two of his fingers around my of my front belt loops, pulling me flush against him. One of his hands snaked around the small of my back supporting me as he kissed me firmly. His other hand buried itself in my hair as he moved us backwards so that I was leaning against the wall. I gasped Trevor suddenly lifted me up. His hands supporting my ass as my one good leg wrapped around his waist. He pulled me up so that we were eye to eye as I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck as we began to kiss once more. One of my hands snaked from his shoulder and into his hair. I felt Trevor moan into the kiss and I smiled as he suddenly grinded his pelvis into my own.

"Trevor," I groaned.

"Hails," Trevor sighed.

I didn't know idea how much time Trevor and I took to get reacquainted. But I knew that we had other work to do, including driving to the nearest mall so that I could replace my old phone. Trevor must've realized our other responsibilities when I did because he reluctantly put me down. I straightened my clothing and rolled my eyes as Trevor handed me my crutches.

Two hours later we were pulling back into the Roadhouse's parking lot. Only this time I had a new phone and a few new outfits. Dean was going to kill me. I had gotten a messaging phone and the new outfits with ne of my credit cads that I wasn't even supposed to have in my possession. But, I needed new jeans and I wasn't going to take my brother's hand-me-downs forever.

Trevor moved to go into the backroom. Instead of following after him I made a beeline straight to Ash. I found him at his typical table. He looked up at me as I approached and smiled.

"Hey, Hails," Ash greeted me. "What'cha got there?"

"This is a years worth of my dad's work, so, uh, can you help me make sense of it?" I asked.

I watched as Ash opened the folder and shuffled through the paper beginning to look at each before casting me an inquisitive look.

"Come on," Ash scoffed, a hint of scolding in his voice, "This crap ain't real. Ain't nobody can track a demon like this."

"My dad could," I responded.

"These are nonparametric statistical overviews, cross-spectrum correlations. I mean…damn. They're signs, omens. If you can track them, you can track this demon," Ash whispered. "You know, like crop failures, electrical storms. You ever been struck by lightening? It ain't fun."

"So, you can track it?" I whispered.

"Yeah," Ash answered. "I mean with this, I think so. It's gonna take time. Give me, uh, fifty one hours."

I watched as Ash gathered up the information and ambled back to his room leaving me alone at the table. I jumped when I realized that my phone was buzzing. I had kept the same number I had before and I recognized that it was Sammy calling me. I had reentered my brother's numbers from memory. Luckily, I was pretty good with numbers.

"Hey," I answered.

"Hails," Sam whispered.

"Sam?" I asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Sam said a little too sharply.

"Bullshit," I retorted. "You sound sad. What did Dean do?"

"Hailey," Sam sighed. "That's not why I'm calling."

"Than why are you?" I responded.

"We're at a loss on the case," Sam said. "Dean shot the clown and it hit something solid."

"Hold on," I responded. I thought for a few minutes trying to remember if Dad had a hunt like this before. I ended up asking Ellen what she thought.

"Rakshasa," I said.

"What?" Sam questioned.

"It's a race of ancient Hindu creatures. They appear in human form, they feed on human flesh, they can make themselves invisible, and they can't enter a home without being invited inside. They also live in squalor, sleeping on a bed of dead insects." I explained. "They also only feed a few times every twenty to thirty years."

"Hailey, please tell me that you read that off a website or something," Sam teased.

"Of course, you're the sidekick geek boy in the family," I quipped.

"Ha-ha, very funny, Hails," Sam muttered. I heard Aiden in the background demanding what I said and Sam told him to mind his own business. I coughed masking a laugh as Sam's attention turned back to me. "We'll be back soon."

"Just be careful," I pleaded.

"You too," Sam whispered.

After Sam hung up I was left wondering if they were almost done with the hunt. If and when my brothers finished. What would we do? Go back to Bobby's? I guess that was the best course of action, since Dean made it clear that weren't leaving the impala anywhere.

I ate dinner with Ash, Ellen, and Jo before the roadhouse began to pick up business. I helped Jo fill orders as I watched Ash play pool and Ellen watch over everyone and everything. By the time it was midnight, I was exhausted. I dropped down on my bed, and as soon as my head hit the pillows, I was out. When I woke up the entire roadhouse was silent. I sighed as I limped out into the main room going straight into the kitchen and getting a bowl of cereal. I was excited because today was the day that I'd be going to the doctor and hopefully I'd get this god forsaken cast removed. All I had to do was wait until someone was awake so that they could take me.

I wondered how long it would be until my brothers came back. That was the one thing that sucked about being left behind because I knew that a hunt could take anywhere from a few days to months depending on what we were hunting and why. We, also had to take into account the weather and what time of year it was. Our jobs were complicated and it never got any easier. Luckily, I was use to waiting. Normally I had company since I hadn't been able to go on hunts until fairly recently. It still sucked, though. I waited waiting, being unable to help my family or anything. It was nearly unbearable having to wait until they called or came back.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard the door to the backroom open. I grinned as Trevor ran a hand through his hair. He walked towards me, planting a kiss on my temple before going into the kitchen for food. He came back out a few minutes later with a bagel and a cup of coffee.

"You ready to go to the doctor's?" Trevor asked sitting down beside me.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I can't wait to just walk around."

"I'll bet," Trevor grinned.

"And they're be another things we can do when this thing isn't in our way," I purred.

Trevor smirked at me as and shook his head. But, he couldn't mask the unadulterated lust in his eyes. I grinned back at him. Maybe it was better that my brothers weren't here with me. I was almost certain that they would not approve of the way Trevor and I were looking at each other.

"You wanna get outta here?" Trevor asked.

"You done with breakfast?" I responded.

"Yeah," Trevor nodded. "Come on, Hails."

"Okay," I replied.

I picked up my crutches and followed Trevor out the door. Trevor helped me into the car before driving me into town. A half hour later I was sitting on the table waiting for the doctor to tell me whether or not the new x-rays showed that my leg had healed. Trevor was waiting next to me. Finally the door opened and the doctor came in with the results.

"Well, Ms. Winchester," The doctor sighed. "You've healed remarkably well. I think that the plaster cast is ready to come off. You'll have to take it easy for a couple more weeks. You're muscles are weak and where the bone has mended is still a tad fragile."

"But the cast can come off?" I asked.

"Yes," The doctor nodded. "You just need to take it easy."

"Yes, sir," I replied.

Soon enough my cast was off and I was limping my way out of the medical clinic. Trevor helped me back into his car as we drove back to the impala. I sighed because Bobby's minivan still was no where in sight. I opened the door and walked into the roadhouse. Ellen and Jo looked like they were taking inventory before another busy night and I ran over to help them as Trevor walked over to Ash.

"Hailey," Jo grinned.

"Jo," I smiled.

It was then I noticed that Ellen didn't seem to be in the best of moods as she slammed into the kitchen.

"Uh, what's going on?" I asked.

"She's being completely unreasonable," Jo hissed. "She says I should go back to school. But I want to hunt like my father did. It's what I was meant to do. But she won't listen to me."

"It's dangerous, Jo," I whispered. "I mean you've seen the injuries my brothers and I have gotten."

"You guy save lives," Joe retorted. "You all make a difference more so than anything I could ever do with just going to school."

"Hailey!" Ash called. "Come here."

"You find it?" I asked.

"It's nowhere around, at least nowhere I can find. But if this fugly bastard raises its head, I'll know. I mean, I'm on it like divine on dog dookie."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean any of those signs or omens appear, anywhere in the world my rig will go off like a fire alarm."

"You'll call when it shows back up?" I asked.

"Of course," Ash smirked.

"Thanks, Ash, you're the greatest."

"Thanks, baby girl," Ash grinned.

I smiled at him as I slid off the stool and made my way into the my bedroom. I changed into a blue camisole and a pleated black mini skirt. I wore my modified knee high boots with built in knife holders, that was the modified part. Normally my brothers hated me in bars, especially since I was under age. There was the fact that I also got hit on and some of the bars were seedy at best. So, I learned not to go anywhere without at least one knife on my person.

"Damn girl," Jo whistled smirking. "Looking for tips."

"No, I'm hustling tonight," I responded. "I need my money."

"Good luck," Jo laughed.

I smirked and walked over to the pool table where a group of three guys were playing pool.

"Well, well, well," One guy sneered, his eyes raking up and down my body. "What do we have here?"

"Can I join you guys in a game?" I replied.

"What do you think, guys?" The person who addressed me first asked. "Should we let the little lady play?"

"Sure," The others shrugged.

I picked up the remaining pool stick and purposefully flubbed all my shots until I had lost.

"Aw," I pouted. "One more game?"

"Sure, baby doll," The guy smirked.

"Let's make this interesting," I said innocently.

I laid down a few bills amounting to two hundred and fifty dollars on the table. I quickly did the math. I was currently playing against five other people, which would amount to 1250 dollars. That was a good amount of money.

This game was completely different than the other one. Honestly the guys didn't have a chance. I had learned how to play pool from the best, namely my brothers and father. It had been a family tradition to hustle. We hustled pool and cards and whenever we were in a place for more than a few weeks, Dean would get a job as a mechanic at any local shop. But credit card scams and any money we made from hustling would normally keep us stabilized. When I had won the atmosphere visibly tensed. I attempted to move away from the pool table when a hand came down hard on my shoulder.

"You just conned us," The guy hissed

"No, I just got lucky," I shrugged. "Shit happens."

"Bullshit," The guy growled.

His grip on my shoulder tightened almost painfully so and I glared up at him. But before I could even attempt to grab my knife, the Roadhouses doors slammed open.

"Get your fucking hands off of her!" A voice demanded sharply.

"Dean," I whispered.

"Oh, shit, Chuck, that's Dean Winchester," Another one attempted to warn the man who was holding my shoulder.

"This your slut, Winchester?" Chuck called. "If she is. I feel bad for you. She has a mouth on her."

"I'm not his slut," I growled, stomping on Chuck's foot as hard as I could and pulling my knife out at the same time pushing him away from me. He sprawled out on the pool table and looked shocked as I raised the knife high over my head.

"Hailey!" Dean called sharply.

I ignored him as I swung the knife down. Chuck looked terrified as the knife plunged down impeding itself in the pool table right between the sleezeballs legs. He gasped as his eyes widened looking between me and the knife that came dangerously close to his family jewels. He then reacted quickly kicking me back as he got off the table he swung me around slamming me back on the pool table. I hissed as Chuck scrambled on top of me. He punched me hard in the jaw. My mouth welled with blood as I flipped us and returned the punch with equal force. I swung down hard as I could. My knuckles split open but I continued punching until I suddenly went airborne.

"Hailey," Dean hissed.

I growled squirming in Dean's grasp as I fought to finish what Chuck had started. I cast feral eyes on Chuck as his friends helped him up and stumbled to the door where Ellen told them that they would not be welcomed back. Even with them out of sight my anger grew and I continued to fight Dean's hold.

"Let me go," I shouted.

"You need to calm the hell down," Dean growled. "Damn it, Hailey."

"That bastard fucking started it," I fumed sagging in Dean's arms.

Aiden came out from behind Dean grabbing my knife and pulling it out of the wood. Dean had grabbed a hold of me of me pulling me into the backroom. He shoved me into my room and slammed the door behind me us before Aiden could try to come in. Dean tossed me onto my bed glaring at me harshly.

"What the hell was that?" Dean demanded roughly.

"That asshole started," I snapped.

"Really?" Dean continued. "Because a little birdie told me that you were hustling. You know that we don't hustle unless we had someone watching our back."

"I had it handled."

"Yeah, tough guy," Dean rolled his eyes holding up my hand up to his eye and mine.

My knuckles looked pretty battered but it wasn't anything that wouldn't heal in a few days. I sighed before standing back up and closing the distance between Dean and I. He looked at me curiously before I leaned against his chest and wrapping my arms around him

"I'm glad you're okay, Dean," I whispered.

"Of course we are," Dean murmured. "Come on. We're due to get back to Bobby's."

I nodded and began to pack up my clothes and Dean helped me with my duffels as we walked out of the back hallway. Dean smiled giving Ellen and Jo a kiss on the cheek and clapping Ash on the back. I hugged Ellen, Jo, and Dean. I looked around and quickly spotted Trevor. I ran over to him and kissed him goodbye as he lifted me into his arms.

"Hey!" Dean snapped. "Not in public, you two."

I flushed as Trevor placed me back on my feet. I hugged him goodbye before following Dean out to the parking lot. I quickly spotted an old station wagon, that wasn't Bobby's van.

"Uh, Dean?" I asked.

"Yeah?" Dean questioned.

"Where's Bobby's van?" I queried.

"Don't ask," Den retorted.

"Oh, god," I laughed.

"Hails, shut up and get into the car," Dean ordered.

"You mean the stolen car." I smirked.

Dean huffed and rolled his eyes as he shoved my bags into the trunk. He moved around to the driver's side and together my brothers and I moved to go back to Bobby's house.

"Your leg's all better?" Aiden asked.

"Yup," I grinned. "Doctor says I gotta take it easy for a few more weeks but I'll be fine."

When we got back to Bobby's it was almost as if we never left. We all moved to different corners of the house. I sighed as I limped around in Bobby's kitchen a few days after we had shacked back up. I was pouring myself a cup of coffee. I heard Sam come into the kitchen but his steps didn't slow as he stalked out to Bobby's yard where Dean was still buried under the impala. I slid open the window so that I could listen as I drank my coffee.

"You were right," Sam called.

"About what?" Dean asked as he got up tossing the tire iron on the tool table.

"About me and Dad," Sam said. "I'm sorry that the last time I was with him, I tried to pick a fight. I'm sorry I spent most of my life angry at him. I mean for all I know he died thinking that I hate him. So, you're right. What I'm doing right now, it is too little, it's too late."

"Oh, Sammy," I whispered.

"I miss him, man," Sam sniffed. "And I feel guilty as hell. And I'm not all right. Not at all. But neither are you. That much I know. I'll let you get back to work."

Sam walked stiffly back into the kitchen. His eyes were wet and he looked at me fleetingly as he tried to leave the kitchen. I latched onto his wrist and burrowed into his side. Sam held me tightly as his body shuddered with sobs.

"It's okay, Sammy," I whispered. "Dad knew you loved him."

I felt Sam nod as his hold tightened even more. I did what my brothers had always done for me whenever I was upset. I rubbed his back and waited for Sam to calm down. While Sam was in his own world, the window was still open and I heard Dean as he smashed something glass before banging something metal against the impala.

"Thanks, Hails," Sam whispered.

He wiped his eyes and kissed me on the forehead before he walked into Bobby's library. Sam had taken to reading anything he could get his hands on and luckily Bobby had a lot of books. I cast a cautious look out to where Dean was. He was just standing there. The tire iron laid abandoned by his feet. It was than where I made up my mind to be strong for my brothers. They had remained strong for me during anything that could go wrong. It was my turn. They were barely holding it together and we couldn't all be strong, someone was going to crack but the rest of us were going to be there to pick up the pieces because that's what family did. I just hope that dean would let us in because from the look on his face, right now, he was shutting down and that terrified me.


	15. Live Like We’re Alive

**Chapter Fifteen: Live Like We're Alive**

"_Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal."_

"Wow," I breathed. "Dean she's awesome."

"I know," Dean smirked.

I smiled at my oldest brother his chest was puffed out with pride as we looked at the impala. It was even better than she had been before the accident. It was amazing. Dean threw an arm over my shoulder and pulled me into his side.

"We're gonna pack up," Dean told me. "We've stayed put for too long."

"Dean!" Sam called.

I hadn't heard that tone of voice come from Sam in a really long time. It was a tone verging on complete desperation. We turned and ran straight into Bobby's house where we found Sam sitting at his desk.

"What is it?" Dean gasped.

"Dad's information on the demon is gone," Sam said. "All of it."

My eyes widened in surprise and anticipation. Had I not put it back when I had taken it? Oh well, I might as well tell them. I went to my backpack and pulled out the folder and handed it to Sam.

"Hailey?" Sam asked.

"I gave it to Ash when you guys were hunting," I whispered.

"Why?" Dean questioned.

"Well, we were having a hard time understanding what Dad was doing," I said. "So, I gave it to Ash and he made a trap for it. It's in hiding but when it comes back, Ash's rig will go off and he'll call us."

"Good job, Hails," Sam whispered.

"Yeah," Dean responded.

"What's going on?" Aiden asked.

"Hailey made a demon alert system," Dean said.

"Nice, Hay," Aiden smirked ruffling my hair as he went to get coffee.

I followed after Aiden getting a bowl of cereal and sitting down on the chair opposite Aiden. Sam and Dean came in and sat down on two of the three remaining seats. We were all eating breakfast when Sam suddenly stopped eating. I looked at him questioningly especially when he seemed to be rallying himself to say something that wouldn't go over well.

"Guys," Sam said.

We all looked to Sam and he didn't seem all too happy to have our undivided attention.

"Well, I was thinking that maybe we can stop by Lawrence?" Sam proposed.

"What?" Aiden and I asked at the same time.

"Why?" Dean asked.

"I just want to," Sam muttered.

"Sam," Dean growled.

"Dean, please," Sam whispered.

Alright, guys, pack up, we'll leave in thirty," Dean ordered.

A half hour later we left Bobby's. We all said goodbye to Bobby and thanked him for letting us recuperate at his house. He said that's what family does. I smiled knowing that it was true. Bobby was like our second father or was it third? We were barley on the road for an hour before Dean began to complain. It wasn't that we were driving, hell he was psyched to drive the impala it was more our destination that was unpleasant. There really were only two reasons why'd we ever go back to Lawrence and since Missouri didn't even know we were coming that left the other…Mom. Or more specifically her grave sight.

"Come on, Sam, I'm begging you," Dean groaned. "This is stupid."

"Why?" Sam retorted sharply.

"Going to visit Mom's grave?" Dean demanded. "I mean, she doesn't even have a grave. There was no body left after the fire."

"She has a headstone," Sam replied.

"Yeah, put up by her uncle, a man we've never even met," Dean growled. "So, you wanna go pay your respects to a slab of granite put up by a stranger? Come on, Sammy."

"Dean, that's not the point," Sam sighed.

"Well, then, enlighten me," Dean stated.

"It's not about a body or a casket. It's about her memory okay?" Sam grumbled

"Mm," Dean huffed.

"And after Dad, it just…it just feels like the right thing to do." Sam muttered.

"It's irrational, that's what it is." Dean sneered.

"If Sam wants to visit, Dean, I don't think that's irrational," I replied.

"Hailey," Dean sighed. "Honestly?"

"It'll only be for a day we don't even have to stay," I shrugged. "Right Sammy?"

"Yeah," Sam answered.

"How do you feel, Aiden?" Dean demanded.

"Are you really trying to tie this up?" I asked.

"Aiden deserves a say," Dean replied.

I narrowed my eyes at Dean who shrugged at me. I really didn't know why he was acting like this. It wasn't like any one of us really wanted to go back to Lawrence but if Sam wanted to we owed it to him. I looked at Aiden who shifted uncomfortably at the sudden undivided attention he was receiving.

"I don't care," Aiden shrugged. "I mean it's only a few hours, right?"

"Yeah," Sam and I replied.

"Than whatever," Aiden muttered.

With the obvious end of the conversation we all went back to whatever we had been doing. I was currently texting Trevor telling him what was going on. Aiden was listening to music on his ipod, while Sam was trying to sleep and Dean was driving. It was obvious from the rigid set in my oldest brother's shoulders that he was driving to the last place on earth he wanted to be. The only reason he was even going was because Dean could never say no to us at least most of the time.

When we got to the cemetery we split up. Sam was going to Mom grave while Aiden and Dean began to walk around. I climbed out of the impala and sat on the roof, content to wait until my brothers came back. I sighed when Aiden began to call me.

"What?" I grumbled.

"Hay, you have to see this," Aiden said. "Dean thinks we gotta hunt."

"Are you kidding?" I muttered.

"Uh, no," Aiden sneered. "Get over here."

"God, you're such a pain in my ass," I snapped as I jumped off the impala and went in search of my brothers.

It really wasn't all that hard to find Dean and Aiden. But what they had found was surprising. Aiden was standing in the middle of a perfect circle of dead grass. Right next to him is a dead tree with a gravestone a few yards away from it covered in dead flowers.

"What the…"

"Hailey," Aiden called cutting me off midsentence. "Isn't this nuts?"

"Yeah, that comes to mind," I muttered.

I turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps apparently Sam had said all he needed to. He stood with Aiden and I as Dean finished talking to the groundskeeper. When Dean finally came back to us, he was holding a piece of paper.

"Angela Mason," Dean stated as we began to walk back to the impala. "She was a student at the local college. Her funeral was three days ago."

"And?" Sam asked.

"And?" Dean demanded. "You saw her grave, everything dead around it in a perfect circle. You don't think that's a little weird."

"Maybe the groundskeeper went a little agro with the pesticide," Sam shrugged.

"No, I asked him," Dean responded. "No, pesticide, no chemicals. Nobody can explain it."

"Okay, so, what are you thinking?" Sam questioned.

"I don't know," Dean sighed. "Unholy ground, maybe?"

"Unholy?" Sam scoffed.

"What? If something evil happened there, it could easily poison the ground. Remember the farm outside Cedar Rapids?" Dean growled.

"Yeah, but…"

"Could be the sign of a demonic presence. Or that Angela girl's spirit, if it's powerful enough." Dean explained.

I looked at Sam who looked skeptical at best. Aiden seemed indifferent to the whole thing and I didn't want to be in the middle if punches were thrown.

"Well, don't get to excited, Sam," Dean groused. "You might pull something."

We had reached the impala and instead of going inside and driving away we stood around. Sam was on the passenger side door. Dean was leaning against the driver's side his arms on the car as he stared Sam down, while Aiden and I were by the trunk, looking at each other uneasily.

"It's just…stumbling onto a hunt?" Sam grumbled. "Here of all places?"

"So?" Dean snapped.

"So, are you sure this is about a hunt, not about something else?" Sam replied.

My eyes widened as I stared at Sam before looking between Dean and Sam. I didn't know what Sam was trying to prove but if Dean got pissed that wouldn't be good for anyone.

"What else would it be about?" Dean glowered.

""You know, just forget it," Sam muttered opening the passenger side door.

"You could believe what you want, Sam," Dean stated firmly, "but I let you drag my ass out here, the least we can do is check this out."

Sam rolled his eyes, slipping into passenger seat and shut the door behind him. Aiden and I exchanged glances ad simultaneously rolled our eyes as we to slipped into the backbench seat. Dean got in a few seconds later and he began to drive into town.

"The girl's dad works in town," Dean said. "He's a professor at the school."

A few minutes later Dean parked in front of the Department of Archeology and Greek Studies. With a quick order for Aiden and I to stay out here Sam and Dean went inside no doubt to question the dead girls father.

"Why didn't Dean let you with them?" I questioned.

"Who knows?" Aiden shrugged. "It doesn't really matter, does it?"

I huffed and rolled my eyes. Aiden was always indifferent when it came to hunting. He didn't care either way: hunting not hunting, it never bothered him. I couldn't really be mad at him. It was just Aiden being who he was. He was the most laid back out of all of us. Hell, I don't think he really cared about hunting, he just cared about us and being with us. Even with his mixed feelings when it came to hunting, no one could deny that he was good at the family business.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Aiden whispered as we leaned against the trunk of the impala.

"Everything's changed," I shrugged. "I don't know what to think. Dad's gone and I'm sad, sure, of course. But I think I'd be even more upset if it had been Dean."

"Dad wasn't really there," Aiden said throwing an arm over my shoulders. "And Dean was. I feel the same way but I still miss Dad. He taught us everything we know. He brought us into all this made us a stronger family. We owe him a lot."

"Yeah, I guess," I sighed.

"The man wasn't perfect, Hay, but he loved us and did the best he can," Aiden stated. "When it comes down to it that's all anyone can hope for."

"I know," I sighed. "I miss him, Aiden. I don't know what we're going to do without him."

"We'll rally together," Aiden sighed. "We'll heal together. But between now and then, it'll be hard. None of us are perfect and none of us deal with our feelings well. And, despite all that we're gonna make it work."

"You sound so sure," I muttered.

"I have no reason not to be," Aiden said.

"Are you sure you're dealing with everything okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, Hay, I'm fine," Aiden smirked. "Seriously, I'm okay."

"You sure?" I continued. "Because I've caught Sam break down twice and Dean's tail spinning."

"We all are dealing with this in our own way," Aiden said. "Don't think I didn't smell the alcohol on your breath when I busted you with Trevor."

I flushed and Aiden gave me a knowing smile because that was my way of dealing with the grief I felt from losing someone as indestructible as John Winchester was. Aiden and I were so lost in our own thoughts that we didn't see Sam and Dean approaching the impala until they were nearly on top of us.

"Let's go," Dean ordered sharply.

I shot a look to Sam, who purposefully ignored my gaze, ducking into the passenger seat Aiden nudged me and rolled his eyes. It seemed as though the interview with Angela's dad didn't go as planned. Aiden and I had no choice but to get in the impala. Dean quickly found a motel and fifteen minutes later we were set up with a room. We only got one room, which was just fine with me. I didn't want to be too far away from my brothers right now. Aiden was right we needed to heal together and separation wasn't going to help.

"I'm telling you, there's something going on here," Dean snapped at Sam as Aiden and I sat on one of the beds. "We just haven't found it yet."

"Dean, so far you've got a patch of dead grass and nothing," Sam responded.

"Well, something turned that grave into unholy ground," Dean stated.

"There's no reason for it to be unholy ground!" Sam groaned. "Angela Mason was a nice girl who died in a car crash. That's not exactly 'vengeful spirit' material. You heard her father."

"We didn't," I shrugged.

"Stay outta this!" Sam and Dean growled.

"Wow, bite my head off," I muttered.

Sam and Dean ignored my comment and continued to glare at each other.

"Yeah, well, maybe Daddy doesn't know everything there is to know about his little angel, huh?" Dean demanded.

"You know what?" Sam shouted. "We never should have bothered that poor man. We shouldn't even be here anymore."

"So what?" Dean sneered. "We just bail? Without even figuring out what's going on?"

"I think I know what's going on here," Sam sighed. "It's the only reason I went along with you this far."

"Sam!" Aiden reproached.

"What are you talking about?" Dean rolled his eyes, ignoring the fact that Aiden even said anything.

"This is about Mom's grave," Sam said.

"That's got nothing to do with it," Dean scoffed.

"You wouldn't step within a hundred yards of it," Sam groaned. "Look, maybe you're imagining a hunt where there isn't one so you don't have to think about Mom. Or Dad."

Aiden and I rose to our feet trying to get in between Sam and Dean because with the glare that Dean was giving Sam, this wouldn't end well.

"Shut up, Sam," Dean ordered, sharply.

"You know what?" Sam continued, angrily, obviously feeling no need for self-preservation. "You know what, you slap on this big, fake smile, but I can see right through it, cause I know how you feel, Dean! Dad's dead! He left a hole, and it hurts so bad you can't take it, but you can't just pretend that his death never happened! And abandon what he taught us, it's an insult to his memory!"

"Okay," Dean nodded after a pause.

He turned to go, but then wheeled around and punched Sam right in the mouth. Sam's head snapped to the left at the blow and Aiden and I gasped at the same time.

"Dean!" I whispered.

"I don't need this crap," Dean snarled.

"Dean, where are you going?" Aiden asked.

"I'm gonna go get a drink," Dean said. _"Alone."_

Dean shrugged on his coat before slamming the front door after him. Aiden, Sam, and I looked at each other stunned. Dean had never punched any of us on purpose and especially not in the face. Sure there had been fights when we were all growing up, it was one of the negatives of being trained fighters, our fights were vicious but Dean had never consciously punched anyone like that.

"Sam, are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah," Sam said shrugging me off as he moved to go into the bathroom.

I shook my head as I felt my own jaw clench in an attempt to ward off the tears that were welling in my eyes. I went to the bed and grabbed my sweatshirt moving quickly towards the front door.

"Hailey, where are you going?" Aiden sighed.

"I need to be alone," I whispered. "'M gonna take a walk."

"Be careful," Aiden said.

"I got my knife," I grunted as I closed the door behind me and purposefully ambled off in the direct opposite of where the bar was.

"_Dad's dead! He left a hole, and it hurts so bad you can't take it!" Sam's voice reverberated in my mind with enough force to make me wince._

That sincere statement directed fully at Dean should've hit all of us in the chest. I couldn't deny the fact that Dad's death left a hole but it didn't hurt as bad as Sam and Dean were taking it. I quickly rationalized that it wasn't anything wrong with Aiden and I it's just we didn't experience the person Dad was before Mom had died

Dean was ten years old and Sam was six. They both had memories of both Mom and Dad that Aiden and I didn't get to have. Dean remembered who Dad was before the fire had destroyed our family. The man who was a loving, doting father and not a man fueled by vengeance. It made more sense that Dean and Sam wee taking his loss harder than Aiden and I because they had lost more. The father Aiden and I had come to know was Dean, plain and simple. Dad was just absent during most of our childhood, leaving us with a handful of 'aunts' and 'uncles'. With the amount of time we moved, it would've been completely understandable if we ran wild. Which was why we were lucky we had Dean because Dean kept us in line.

Sure, I missed dad and I felt guilty as all hell that I wasn't being kept up at night about it. But I couldn't deny the fact that I was so much happier with the fact that Dean was with us. Dean was on his deathbed and he should've died. He should've died. Instantly I froze midstep. Dean was close to death and Dad was fine. The summoning ritual. Sam had gotten it wrong, Dad didn't want some showdown with the demon, he wanted to make a deal. That's why we didn't have the gun and Dad mysteriously dropped dead.

"Oh, my god," I whimpered.

A shaky hand went to my mouth as I stumbled to the ground. I didn't try to get back up, I didn't even want to. We had all thought Dad was a selfish bastard but he had given up his own life, his crusade to save Dean's life. I wondered if he knew how Sam, Aiden, and I felt about Dean, it wasn't that hard to guess. We worshipped Dean, he couldn't do anything wrong in our eyes.

But somewhere along the way that had changed. Now Sam had a sudden allegiance to Dad and his crusade, scorning Dean and leaving Aiden and I stuck in the middle. Dean had punched Sam. Dad had given up his life for Dean's. I let out a small scream of pure grief as I slammed my fist into the concrete over and over again before I fell back over. I pulled my knees to my chest and just sobbed.

It was pouring down rain and it was cold but I didn't care. I couldn't feel the cold or the slippery wetness that soaked through my jeans and shirt, drenching my hair and masking my tears. I lost track of time and place as dusk slipped into dark twilight. I continued to bawl for the things that I had lost. The mother I never had or the father. The kind of childhood I had where the impala was basically the only home I knew. The fact that we had all been hurt countless times, exposed to people's worse nightmares with nothing to show for it except for a splintered family.

We were now a family that was barely holding it together. Like a snake with its head cut off. We were confused and we didn't know what to do. The demon had gone back into hiding and who knew how long it would take for it surface. Suddenly bright headlights flooded the darkness as it turned onto the street where I was laying. The car then came to a complete stop as the driver's side door was thrown open.

"Hailey!" came Dean's frantic voice.

He slammed the door as he rushed to my side dropping to a knee and pulling me into his chest.

"Are you okay?" Dean demanded. "What happened?"

I just shook my head and Dean's hold on my forearms tightened as he shook me sharply.

"Have you lost your fucking mind?" Dean roared. "You don't just decide to lay down in the street! You could've been killed."

My lip wobbled as I felt Dean's probing fingers making sure that I was in fact unscathed. When I was deemed to be fine he pulled me tightly into his chest as I continued to cry.

"Jesus, Hails, you trying to give me a heart attack?" Dean grumbled.

I shook my head and huddled closer into the person who personified security. His hold tightened as a result as I felt a hand smooth down my hair as he kissed me softly on the forehead. After what felt like hours but was in reality only minutes, Dean attempted to get up but I latched on tightly. I heard Dean let out a huff as he stooped down and picked me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck ad my legs around his waist as he began to walk towards the impala.

"She okay? Sam asked.

I was surprised to hear Sam's voice and what was presumably Aiden's sigh of annoyance at Sam's question.

"I got her," Dean said. "Drive back."

"Dean it's pouring," Sam protested.

"I've noticed, Sammy," Dean grumbled. "Just do what I tell you, okay?"

"Okay, if you're sure," Sam trailed off.

"Swing by the diner and get dinner for all of us too," Dean ordered.

"Alright," Sam said.

I heard the roar of the impala as she started back up before Sam drove off to get some form of food. Dean continued to walk to the motel, holding me tightly the entire way.

"'M sorry," I whimpered.

"Shhh," Dean soothed.

Dean reached the motel room faster than I thought he would. He jostled me a little to get the key out of his pocket and quickly opened the door. He moved through the room, grabbing my duffel bag as he carried me into the bathroom. He placed me gently on top of the counter and moved to the shower/bath. He put the plug in the bath and quickly got the water hot enough. Dean moved back to me, he looked at me for a second before his fingers caught the bottom of my sweatshirt. Dean sighed, grabbing my wrists as I attempted to push his hands away. Instead of reaching for my sweatshirt again he pulled my wrist up to his gaze.

"When did this happen?" Dean asked, indicating my bloody and mangled knuckles.

I shrugged in response reverting my eyes to the floor.

"That's not an answer, Hailey," Dean growled lowly.

"It doesn't matter," I whispered. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, because people who are perfectly okay always have breakdowns in the middle of the street," Dean scoffed.

I visibly locked down after that refusing to remove my gaze from the floor. I heard Dean sigh and then grab my sweatshirt pulling it up and over my head. He picked me up from the counter depositing me on my feet as he pulled off my soaked jeans. With a sudden pile of wet clothing, I was left in a white tank top and my boy shorts. Dean stood with his arms crossed and his legs splayed, staring at me with determination. I had nowhere to go as I was trapped between Dean's body and the counter as I continued to look anywhere but at him. I didn't think I could handle the probing emerald green. The same green that would be sparking with a combination of concern and annoyance. Those very eyes would and could crack me easily but I couldn't give Dean the answers he wanted to have. I just couldn't.

"Look at me," Dean ordered, "_now_ Hailey."

I bristled and groaned. That very tone had just the right amount of iron in order to make it nearly impossible to disobey. I sighed peering up at Dean through my eyelashes. I saw Dean raise a brow before he reached out and grasped my chin, forcing me to look up.

"What happened?" Dean asked.

"Nothing," I grumbled.

"Don't lie to me," Dean growled.

"I'm _not_ lying," I responded jerking my head sharply to the side to dislodge Dean's hold on my chin, "nothing happened."

I turned around and walked the small distance to the hot bath; climbing in quickly. I put distance between Dean and I knowing that while I lied to people for a living, I could ever lie to him. Either that or Dean knew me entirely too well, making it nearly impossible to even bother trying to lie. I heard Dean sigh as he grabbed the first aid from the counter and walked over to me. He grabbed the hand that I had hurt and began to clean out the scrapes before wrapping my hand in a white bandage.

"What's going on with you, Hails?" Dean sighed as he leaned against the wall close to the shower.

"Nothin'," I muttered.

"Bullshit," Dean retorted sharply.

"Like you got room to talk," I grumbled. "How are you feeling, Dean? You wanna talk? Share our feelings?"

"Stop it, Hailey," Dean ordered.

I huffed and rolled my eyes. I lifted myself out of the now lukewarm water. I grabbed a towel and dried myself off, ignoring the nearly incinerating look Dean was throwing my way. It annoyed me to know end that I basically had to share my feelings but my brothers were allowed to stow their feelings and breakdown or whatever the fuck they wanted to but nope everything I did have to have an explanation. I couldn't just breakdown, I had to have motives and reasons. I just went for a walk and everything sorta hit me. Of course, I could just say that but knowing my brothers they would want to know everything and I just couldn't tell them. I quickly threw on a sweatshirt and a pair of pajama pants and then turned around to see that Dean was still giving me a nasty look. I was saved from whatever Dean was planning, most likely a lecture of scathing proportions, when the front door swung open. Honestly, Dean didn't even have to say anything I could already hear it now: don't go out by yourself, it's dangerous, you should still be taking it easy, blah, blah blah.

Dean and I walked out of the bathroom one behind the other ignoring the questioning look that Sam was giving both of us. I grabbed my burger, fries, and a chocolate shake and plodded down at the table on the other side of Aiden's. We ate quietly for a little while before Dean decided that we should talk about the hunt again. You know, the one that Sam thinks doesn't exist.

"So, I found something out when I was working my imaginary case," Dean started.

"Yeah, and?" Sam asked.

"Well, you were right, I didn't find much," Dean began. "Except Angela's boyfriend died last night, slit his own throat. But, you know, that's _normal_. Let's see, what else? Oh, he was seeing Angela everywhere before he died. But you know, I'm sure that's just me transferring my own _feelings_."

In an instant Dean destroyed any idea of appetite. Sam looked like he had just been slapped…again. While Aiden just put down his burger and glowered at both Sam and Dean.

"Okay I get it," Sam groaned. "I'm sorry, maybe there's something going on here."

"Maybe?" Dean growled. "Sam, I know how to do my job, despite what you may think."

Sam gulped before saying, "We should check out the guy's apartment."

"Did it," Dean said. "Found a pile of dead plants, just like the cemetery. Hell, dead goldfish, too."

"Unholy ground?" Aiden asked.

"Maybe," Dean sighed. "But I'm still not getting that powerful, 'angry spirit' vibe from Angela."

"Maybe she isn't a spirit," I suggested.

"Maybe," Dean muttered. "I've been reading this, though."

I watched as Dean got up and went to his duffle pulling out a pink book. He spun around and held it up.

"You stole the girl's diary?" Sam scoffed.

"Dean, that's a total breach of privacy," I scolded.

"Please, the only reason you stopped keeping one was because we read it," Aiden scoffed.

"Yeah, cause you're a dick," I retorted.

"Nice," Aiden smirked.

"Anyway, children," Dean rolled his eyes. "I've been reading this and if anything the girl's a little too nice."

"So, what do you wanna do?" Sam questioned.

"Keep digging," Dean ordered. "Talk to more of her friends."

"You got any names?" Aiden raised an eyebrow.

"You kidding me?" Dean laughed throwing the book to Aiden, "I have her bestest friend in the whole wide world."

"You're twisted," I shook my head.

"Whatever," Dean rolled his eyes. "Sam and I will pay this guy a visit first thing in the morning."

I narrowed my eyes but didn't say a word. And just like that the youngest fell off of first string and back to the bench at least I had company. After that wonderful dinner conversation we all got ready for bed. I slipped into the bed closest to the door. Normally that wouldn't be the bed I was allowed to take. My brothers liked me being closer to the wall so if anything happened to come into the room it would have to go through them first. But, today I was sharing the bed with Dean so I guess the rules were suspended. I rolled over and burrowed myself under the covers as one of my brothers turned off the lights.


	16. Save Your Breath

**Chapter Sixteen: Save Your Breath**

"_Just because you make mistakes doesn't mean you are one_**."**

When I woke up the next morning I instantly realized that Sam and Dean were gone. Aiden was sprawled on the bed next to mine as I stretched and walked to the bathroom. Just as I was about to go through the threshold of the bathroom entrance, I tripped and nearly fell headfirst into the wall. I grimaced and looked behind me. Aiden's jeans were in the direct path to the bathroom. He always did this leaving his crap everywhere. I shot a glower at Aiden's sleeping form as I picked up his jeans to fold them when a small baggy fell onto the floor. I folded Aiden's jeans and tossed them on his bed as I stooped to get the small baggy. I held it up to my gaze and sighed. Within the baggy was a white powder. I looked at between Aiden and the bag.

"Aiden!" I shouted.

"Wha?" Aiden yawned shooting up "What'sa matter?"

"What is this?" I asked.

"You went through my stuff!" Aiden growled getting out of bed, now entirely awake.

"No," I replied. "I tripped over your damn jeans and folded them for you. This fell out. Please, tell me it isn't what I think it is."

"Give it to me," Aiden shouted.

"I can't believe you!" I shouted. "Coke? Are you fucking stupid?"

"Hailey, give it to me!" Aiden warned.

"No way," I scoffed. "Is this why you've been so mellow lately? Toking up so you don't have to think about Dad?"

"Shut up," Aiden barked.

"Jesus Christ, Aiden," I sighed. "Dean's gonna fucking kill you."

"Oh, really?" Aiden sneered. "He's not going to fucking find out because you're going to keep your goddamn mouth shut!"

"Forget it!" I yelled. "You think you're just going to take this and everything will be okay again? You're going to get yourself killed or one of us. Is that what you want, Aiden?"

I raised my chin defiantly as Aiden closed the distance between us and kept moving until his face was inches away from mine.

"I'm going to say this once, give me what's mine," Aiden warned.

"Or you'll what?" I growled, dangerously.

"Give it to me and you won't have to find out," Aiden responded, tersely.

"Go fuck yourself," I snarled.

I immediately ducked under his arm and ran into the bathroom. I locked the door behind me and moved purposefully to the toilet, pouring the powder into the toilet and flushing it.

"Hailey!" Aiden yelled.

"I'm doing this to help you," I replied.

"Help me?" Aiden shouted.

'_Oh, god, Dean, Sam, please come back and hurry,' I thought._

The lock on the door was flimsy at best and the way Aiden was throwing his body against the door and it was only a matter of time before it gave way. I had never been legitimately afraid of one of my brothers before. Sure, Aiden and I fought but it wasn't going to be like any fight we ever had.

Within the pecking order of the Winchester family, Dad had the most authority followed by Dean, then Sam, then Aiden, and then me. As the youngest I had no one to boss around and while Aiden didn't have that much weight to throw when it came down to it I listened to him because that was what was expected of me. He never could make me listen or discipline me but Dean would and could and I learned really quick to do what Aiden told me to.

This, however, was one of the only times I could disobey Aiden and not get in trouble. But, Aiden was pissed. I had never seen my brother so angry or out of control. Aiden was the calm one. He was always so laidback and collected. Of course, he had his moments of anger but it was Dean and I who was the belligerent ones. The door flung open, nearly splintering in half as it banged against the wall. Aiden marched through and I stood up, prepared to fight. I raised my hand for a punch when I noticed Aiden's pupils, they were nearly completely dilated.

"You took some didn't you?" I whispered. "Before going back to sleep. How long?"

"Shut. Up!" Aiden growled.

"Oh, Aiden," I whispered.

Suddenly the right side of my face burned. I let out a small yelp as Aiden backhanded me across the face sending me sprawling to the floor. I moved to kick Aiden's legs out when I heard the whoosh of a belt coming out of Aiden's belt loops. What the hell? I growled moving to the side just as Aiden moved to smack me and kicked up and out sending Aiden flying in the opposite direction. Aiden jumped to his feet growling, the belt lay discarded on the floor but I saw Aiden glance at it before he glared at me. Suddenly, Aiden came at me with a right hook that literally skimmed the top of my head as I ducked. I jumped up and sunk my elbow into his solar plexus and another elbow at his head. Both of which connected. Breathing heavily, and obviously pissed off that I had gotten in a blow, Aiden came at me again throwing punch after punch. Those punches had me scrambling away and suddenly Aiden swung his hand out, backhanding me across the face, once again I crumbled to the ground. Angry tears sprang into my eyes as I felt betrayed. I knew Aiden was high as anything right now but he had never fought this dirty. We weren't trained to do that. Cocaine may give someone violent tendencies especially when said cocaine had been flushed down the toilet. While I knew that this person was not my brother it didn't stop the pain I was feeling.

I planted my hands on the floor as I spun around launching myself up and kicking out knocking Aiden straight back. I heard him grunt as my feet connected against his chest, and would've felt bad if he wasn't trying to belt and or kill me. When he started coming back at me, I quickly aimed a kick at his head, which knocked him slightly off balance so I punched left. Aiden ducked away at the last second punching me in the side. I managed to stay on my feet and leapt up and kicked sideways. The force of the blow knocking him down and almost taking me but I managed to stay on my feet. Before I could even think about my next move Aiden sprang up and punched me in the stomach. All the air came out of my lungs as I doubled over and I blinked black spots dancing in front of my eyes.

While I was trying to catch my breath, Aiden pushed me down to the ground aiming another kick at my side; I rolled away at the last second and kicked sideways knocking him back to the ground. We both got up and glared at each other, Aiden moved first getting me right in the face. My head snapped backward and I felt the blood start pouring. I saw my quick opportunity to finish this fight for good and launched into a flying roundhouse kick knocking Aiden off his feet again and then aimed a punch at his face.

He seemed very disoriented and didn't get himself until after I had handcuffed him to the towel rack. I gasped for air, putting my hands o my knees as I got my breath back.

"Hailey!" Aiden warned, "Let me go."

"Yeah, uh let me think about this," I scoffed, "fuck, no."

"Hay, I'm fucking serious, take these things off," Aiden seethed.

"Ya didn't ask too nicely there," I raised an eyebrow. "I think I'm gonna clean myself up."

"Hailey!" Aiden shouted.

"Oh, and, Aiden?" I hissed my eyes turning into a blazing inferno as I allowed my ire to increase, "If you ever try to whip me again, I'll strangle you."

"I'm not afraid of you," Aiden snapped.

"You should be," I rolled my eyes, "I just kicked your ass."

"Right back at you, little sister," Aiden sneered.

"Yeah, you did," I shrugged. "But you're the one who is handcuffed to the towel rack right now."

"What the hell is going on here?" I heard an angry voice shout, otherwise known as the voice of Dean.

"Well, hello there, Dean," I smirked.

"Hailey Jade," Dean began as he pushed his way into the bathroom. "What the hell is Aiden doing handcuffed to the towel rack."

"Ask the junkie yourself," I grumbled trying to brush past Dean to get into the main room but he held out an arm and glared down at me.

"That's not funny, Hailey," Dean sighed.

"Wasn't joking," I shrugged.

"Hailey, I swear to god," Aiden growled.

"Fuck off, Aiden," I snapped, "Don't even start with me."

"Why don't you undo the cuffs so we can settle this," Aiden hissed.

"Aiden, this isn't you talking," I whispered.

"Shut up!" Aiden spat.

Dean looked between Aiden and I looking severely pissed off as he gestured for me to sit down. He stalked over to Aiden and grabbed his chin so that he could meet his eyes.

"You high?" Dean growled.

"No," Aiden muttered.

"Aiden, so help me god, if you lie to me one more time…" Dean hissed. "I'll ask again and I just did."

Aiden attempted to jerk his chin out of Dean's hold and that was answer enough. Dean released Aiden's chin with a growl, smacking him upside the head.

"What did you take?" Dean demanded.

"Coke," Aiden whispered.

"Why?" Dean responded. "Aiden, why would you do this? How long?"

"I didn't wanna feel anything," Aiden sighed. "And for a week, maybe two."

"You addicted?" Dean growled.

"Dean!" Aiden whined.

"Hailey, get outta here," Dean ordered sharply. "I need to talk to Aiden alone."

"Where's Sam?" I asked.

"Outside," Dean replied. "Go."

"Aye, aye, captain," I mocked; ignoring the glare that Dean threw my way as I wet out of the bathroom.

I tried not to listen as I heard random bits of Dean yelling at Aiden, while Aiden attempted to explain himself. When I heard a shout I stopped looking wide eyed at the door to the bathroom that had been slammed closed after me. I heard the sound of water going before someone was thrown in. Going by Aiden's protest the water must've been freezing. I couldn't help but feel a little bad for him.

Sure, his way of dealing with Dad's death was far from okay. We might run credit card scams and hustle as a means to an end but neither Dad nor Dean accepted drugs, ever. They messed with your logic and perception and could get you killed especially if we were on a hut, which we presently were. I had no idea where Aiden had even gotten that shit but still, this was bad. And, if the sharp even tones of Dean's lecture were enough to go by Aiden would be hearing about this stunt for weeks to come.

"What's going on?" Sam asked. "Where are Aiden and Dean?"

"Bathroom," I said.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"I found Aiden's drug stash this morning," I explained.

"He's back on that shit?" Sam groaned.

"Back?" I growled. "What the hell do you mean back?"

"He took some in school occasionally," Sam said. "Helped him stay up and do his assignments faster."

"He was addicted?" I asked.

"No, he took it like ADD medication," Sam sighed. "I thought he gave it up after I had caught him doing lines but I guess since Dad's death he started back up."

"Yeah, well, Dean's pissed," I shrugged.

"So, I've gathered," Sam said.

The door opened a few minutes later with Dean leading Aiden out. He was soaked and looked to be completely sobered up. His eyes were rimmed red and if I didn't know better I would think that Dean had whipped him but I didn't hear anything like that. Besides Dean could lecture better than Dad ever could, reducing someone to tears within a few sharp sentences.

My eyes widened as I took in the fact that Aiden was still handcuffed his hands behind his back. Dean pushed Aiden down on the bed and Aiden sat up leaning against the headboard as Dean pulled up Aiden's duffle bag and began searching through every article of clothing and anything else Aiden had. Ten minutes later two more baggies were discovered and then when Dean was sure they were all gone, he took Aiden's cut from the last poker game.

"Hailey, bathroom, now," Dean ordered. "Sam, watch him."

Aiden huffed and hung his head as I went into the bathroom with Dean following at my heels. When I got into the bathroom, Dean closed the door.

"Hi?" I asked.

"He got you good," Dean sighed. "Then again it seems like you gave as good as you got."

"'M fine," I grumbled.

"Hailey, shut up," Dean sighed.

"I think I'd know if I was okay or not," I shrugged.

"Hailey Jade, I swear to god…" Dean began.

"Aiden's the one who did that shit," I retorted. "I don't know why you gotta treat me like I did anything wrong. He came at me first, I defended myself. He was gonna fucking whip me, Dean."

"Watch the language," Dean scolded. "And I know what he did. He told me. I promise you he'll never do anything like this ever again."

"He's done it before!" I shouted. "Sam said he did it in school."

"Well, he isn't doing it again," Dean snapped. "Now, let me fix you up and than you're coming with Sam and I to finish this damn case.

"What about Aiden?" I whispered.

"Aiden is gonna be shackled to the bed," Dean said.

"Dean," I sighed.

"Hailey," Dean warned.

I knew when to not push Dean any further and I wisely shut my mouth. I didn't want to get my ass kicked just because Aiden was the one who messed up. If Aiden was going to stay there than I had no say in the matter. I winced when Dean dapped rubbing alcohol on the split in my lip and the cut on my eyebrow. Other than that I really only had a few sporadic bruises that could easily be covered.

Once I was patched up I walked out behind Dean and followed Sam and Dean out of the motel room. Aiden was fast asleep and had been restrained to the bed. I felt bad for him but I knew that Dean wasn't going to let Aiden go anywhere without him and especially not in the middle of a hunt when he was still coming off the high.

"Okay, so what's going on?" I asked.

"So far, we think that Angela's a vengeful spirit," Dean said. "She got revenge on her ex-boyfriend so it might be over. But we're gonna burn the bones to make sure."

"What?" Sam responded. "Angela died last week."

"So?" Dean asked.

"There's not gonna be bones," Sam explained. "There's gonna be a ripe, rotting body in the coffin."

"Since when are you afraid to get dirty, huh?" Dean scoffed.

There was no other way to slice this other than this was absolutely fucking disgusting. Digging up graves was normally gross but digging up the grave of someone who had barely died a week ago? Yeah, that took the cake on disgusting things I've had to do list. Dean, Sam, and I were working as fast as we could. When one of us finally banged against the wood of the coffin, we threw the shovels out. It was nearly sunrise, we were going to have to work fast.

"Ladies first," Dean prodded.

"No way," I retorted.

"Hold that," Sam sighed as he passed his flashlight to Dean.

What we were expecting when Sam opened the coffin was a body, but that wasn't what we got. Instead, the coffin was empty.

"What the hell?" I hissed as my brothers exchanged glances.

"They buried the body four days ago," Dean growled.

"I don't get it," Sam muttered and then paused, tilting his head. "Look."

We looked to where Sam was pointing, there were strange symbols engraved in the wood.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Not sure," Sam replied.

"I've seen these symbols before." Dean spat.

Sam and I exchanged an uh-oh glance as we followed after Dean towards the impala. We drove to a nearby diner where we had breakfast before Dean drove to someone's house. Judging by the rigid set of Sam's shoulder's he wasn't too happy about where Dean was stopping.

"Stay out here," Dean ordered to me.

"Okay," I sighed.

I watched my brothers walk up to the house, Dean banged on the door and I raised a brow. He seemed really angry. When they went into the house I looked around. It was a nice neighborhood but it was a place that I could never imagine myself growing up. I sighed and glanced at the door already tired of waiting. I didn't have to wait too much longer, a few minutes later Sam and Dean burst out of the house moving quickly down the stairs.

"What the hell is the matter with you, Dean?" Sam demanded stalking after Dean.

"Back off," Dean retorted.

"That man is innocent!" Sam shouted. "He didn't deserve that!"

"Okay, so she's not here," Dean shrugged. "Maybe he's keeping her somewhere else."

"Stop it!" Sam groaned. "That's enough, okay? Enough!"

"Guys…" I tried to interrupt but they both ignored me.

"Sam, I know what I'm doing." Dean growled.

"No, you don't!" At all," Sam responded. "Dean, I don't scare easy, but man, you're scaring the crap outta me."

"You're being overdramatic, Sam." Dean warned.

"You're lucky this turned out to be a real case, 'cause if it wasn't, you would've just found something else to kill!" Sam snapped.

"What?" Dean asked.

"You're on edge, you're erratic," Sam stated. "Except for when you're hunting, 'cause then you're downright scary. You're tail spinning, man. And you refuse to talk about it and you won't let me help you!"

"I can take care of myself, thanks," Dean sighed.

I huffed and rolled my eyes. Dean set me a stern glare before facing Sam again. I knew that they were still fighting just like they had been that entire hunt but Sam was telling the truth and while it sucked it needed to be said.

"No, you can't!" Sam growled. "And you know what? You're the only one who thinks you should have to. You don't have to handle this on your own, Dean, no one can."

"Sam, if you bring up Dad's death one more time, I swear," Dean hissed.

"Stop, please, Dean, it's killing you, please," Sam pleaded. "We've already lost Dad. We've lost Mom. I'm not gonna lose you too."

"We better get out of here before the cops come," Dean said after a pause.

"Cops?" I whispered.

Dean noticed that Sam was frowning, "I hear you, okay? I'm being an ass, and I'm sorry. But right now we got a friggin zombie running around and we need to figure out how to kill it. Right?"

"Our lives are weird, man," Sam whined.

"You're telling me," Dean replied. "Come on. Hails get into the car."

"Hailey, do this," I muttered. "Hailey, do that. Hailey, sit. Good Hailey."

"Hailey Jade, get in the goddamn car," Dean fumed.

I stuck out my tongue at him as I slipped into the backseat before Dean could smack me upside the head. Apparently I had said that a little louder than I had intended. Oh well, it was truthful enough. I was always being ordered around. And, when I wasn't being ordered around I would be tossed around like a human ragdoll. I made the resolution to gain more weight as it was completely obvious that one hundred twenty five pounds was too easy for my brothers to maneuver me around. Proud of my realization I barely noticed that we were back at the motel. Sam and Dean went through the room and I went in after them immediately noticing that Aiden was fast asleep. I shook my head and settled down on the opposite bed.

"We can't just waste the bitch with a headshot?" Dean demanded.

"Dude, you've seen too many Romero flicks," Sam smirked.

"You telling me there's no lore on how to smoke 'em?" Dean asked.

"No, Dean, I'm telling you there's too much," Sam sighed. "I mean there's a hundred different legends on the walking dead, but they all have different methods for killing them."

Sam began leaving through Dad's journal again, "Some say setting them on fire, one said…where is it? Right, here, feeding their hearts to wild dogs. That's my personal favorite. Who knows what's real and what's myth?"

"Anything in common?" I asked.

"Nope, but a few said silver might work," Sam shrugged.

"Silver's a start," Dean replied.

"How're we gonna find Angela?" Sam asked.

"We gotta figure out the person who brought her back," Dean said.

"Ideas?" Sam prodded.

"I think if it's not her dad, it might be that guy, Neil," Dean answered.

"Neil?" Sam asked. "How'd you come up with that."

"Well, you've got your journal," Dean grinned. "And I've got mine. 'Neil's a real shoulder to cry on. He so understands what I'm going through with Matt.' And there's more in here where that came from. It's got unrequited Duckie love written all over it."

"Doesn't mean he brought her back from the dead," Sam said.

"Did I mention that he's Professor Mason's TA?" Dean raised an eyebrow "Has access to all the same books."

"Let's go," Sam said.

"I'm staying here," I responded.

"Hails," Dean went to argue.

"No, Dean, I'm gonna see with Aiden," I interrupted.

"You call if anything goes wrong," Dean ordered.

"Okay," I nodded.

Sam and Dean left quickly after that and I realized that the hunt would most likely be over tonight. I sighed and sat on the bed next to Aiden's just watching as he slept. I shuddered suddenly remembering the crazed look in his eye as we fought. I had never seen Aiden that out of control before. I must've dozed off because when my eyes opened it was Aiden who was staring at me.

"Hails," Aiden whispered.

"Aiden," I muttered straightening up.

"Hailey, I'm sorry," Aiden said.

"It wasn't you, Aiden," I shrugged. "It'll be okay."

I stiffened when I heard a sudden sob. I wheeled around slowly and saw that Aiden was crying. My heart fell into my stomach. I had seen all my brothers cry before but it always felt horrible when I saw one of them crying. They normally never cried so when they did it shocked me.

"Aiden," I sighed.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," Aiden cried. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I replied.

I moved forward and unlocked his handcuffs. I yelped a little when Aiden wrapped his arms around me, crushing me into his chest. I felt his tears falling on my head. I hugged him back and let Aiden cry him out.

"I miss him Hails," Aiden muttered.

"I do too," I whispered. "But he's still watching out for us. He has to be."

"He's still gone," Aiden whimpered. "The one person who I though could never be gone was just like that."

"We're gonna be okay, Aiden," I replied. "You have to believe that."

"I know," Aiden groaned. "It's just hard."

"I know," I nodded. "But it's gonna be okay."

"'M scared," Aiden confessed.

"Of what?" I questioned.

"Detoxing," Aiden whispered.

"We'll be right there with you, Aiden," I vowed.

I don't know how long we stayed wrapped up in each other's arms, but it didn't matter. I knew Aiden wasn't letting go anytime soon and I was content to just lay on him. It was like old times of us just cuddling when we watched TV or something. It just felt right again. Sometimes it was awesome being so much smaller than my brothers because if and when I ever sat in their laps I fit comfortably.

I was leaning against Aiden's chest, his arms wrapped around me when my phone began to ring.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hails, I need you to pack up the room," Dean said.

"Okay," I replied. "Zombie dead?"

"Yeah," Dean nodded. "But geek boy broke his wrist."

"Great," I muttered.

"We'll stop at a hospital on the way out of the state," Dean said. "We're five minutes out."

"Got it," I nodded before disconnecting the line.

"What's going on?" Aiden asked.

"We need to pack up," I said.

"Alright," Aiden shrugged.

We packed up everything as fast as we could. When all the duffels were packed up, Aiden swept the salt off the floor while I put the charms back into Dean's bag. I heard the impala roar into parking lot. And then we put the duffels into the trunk before climbing into the backseat with Aiden.

We were nearly out of Lawrence when Dean pulled the impala over. Without waiting he pulled the key out of the ignition and then got out of the car. Sam, Aiden, and I followed after Dean who had leaned against the front of the impala. I stood in front of Dean while Aiden and Sam were on either side.

"Dean, what is it?" Sam asked.

"I'm sorry," Dean muttered.

"For what?" Aiden asked.

"The way I've been acting," Dean sighed. "And for Dad. I mean, he was your dad, too. It's my fault he's gone."

'_Oh, god, Dean had figured it out,' I thought with a small amount of dread._

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

"I know you've been thinking it, so have I," Dean explained. "Doesn't take a genius to figure it out. Back at the hospital, I had a full recovery. And it was a miracle. Then, five minutes later, Dad's dead and the Colt's gone."

"Dean…" Sam tried.

"You can't tell me there's not a connection there," Dean grumbled. "I don't know how the demon was involved. I don't know how the whole thing went down exactly. But Dad's dead because of me. And that much I do know."

"We don't know that," Aiden retorted.

"Not for sure," Sam continued.

"Sam, you, Dad, Hailey and Aiden are the most important people in my live," Dean said. "And now, I never should've come back. It wasn't natural. And now, look what's come of it. I was dead and I should've stayed dead."

I watched as Dean's bottom lip began to quick and his voice began to break, "You wanted to know how I was feeling. Well, that's it. So, tell me, what could you possibly say to make that all right?"

Dean looked at Sam as tears streamed down his voice. Sam looked at a loss for words. Was there really anything to say that could make this all right? I knew that there wasn't one thing that would make Dean feel better but I had to try to do something.

"It was Dad's choice," I whispered. "And we all love him but we love you too. What happened was a miracle and we all owe you so much."

Tears still streamed down Dean's face as he internalizing what I had said. A few seconds' later Dean's arms opened and I needed no other invitation, throwing myself into them. This hunt had been ridiculously hard and between finding out that Dean was far from okay to Aiden's random drug use. It had been hard but Aiden was right it was going to be hard but we're all going to be okay.


	17. Unbreakable

**Chapter Seventeen: Unbreakable**

"_When you invite trouble, it's usually quick to accept."_

For the first time we had no idea where we should be going. We had already been at Bobby's house for more than a month when we were all recuperating so it was a little early to go back. The roadhouse was, for once, out of the question. With Aiden currently withdrawing from his little cocaine habit, the environment that the roadhouse had was going to be detrimental. After all, Dean had made it perfectly clear that Aiden wasn't allowed in bars for anything, hustling, drinking, nothing. It might be harsh but drugs were hindrances and until Aiden was done withdrawing the Winchester family in its entirety had been sidelined from hunting until further notice.

I had no idea where Dean was even driving too or if he was driving just to drive. I sighed squirming around in my seat. As the smallest Winchester I had more room in the impala than Sam, Aiden or Dean. My feet were currently in Aiden's lap as I was leaning against the door. My computer was in my lap as I talked to driver on instant messaging. He had a hunt out in California and had no idea what it was. He originally thought it was a werewolf but the lunar cycle wasn't right. I suggested that it could be a spirit especially since when all the bodies were found the heart was still intact.

After talking to Trevor for about an hour I finally realized that Dean had turned off of the main hallway and was currently driving up the back roads.

"Dean where are we?" I asked.

"New York," Dean answered. "Upstate."

"Oh," I said. "Alright."

"Dad still has a place out here," Dean said. "I figured we'd shack up for a couple of weeks."

"No," Aiden said.

"What?" Dean asked.

"No cabin," Aiden muttered.

"Aiden the cabin's protected, remember?" I explained.

"It'll find us," Aiden growled. "Always finds us."

It was then I caught sight of Aiden's eyes. They were glazed over and he kept muttering about Azazel under his breath. I finally realized what he was going on about. It was in that abandoned cabin where we last saw Dad and the demon.

"Dean?" I whispered.

"He'll be fine," Dean said shortly.

When we parked, tension and anxiety was radiating off of Aiden in waves. I looked at Dean and back at Aiden. Sam and I were carrying all the bags as Dean tried to get Aiden out of the car. I wanted to stay ad help but Sam nudged me forward.

"No!" Aiden shouted. "I'm not going in there."

"Yes, you are, junior," Dean retorted wrenching Aiden bodily out of the impala.

"Dean, please, no," Aiden begged.

"Aiden this place is completely protected, we're safe out here," Dean explained.

"Never safe," Aiden disagreed.

"You were safe at Stanford," Dean pointed out.

"No," Aiden shook his head. "No."

"Aiden, it's okay," Dean soothed.

"NO!" Aiden shouted.

I heard a thud and a muffled curse as Aiden attempted to run away.

"Dean, maybe we should go somewhere else," I suggested.

"Hailey, this is the safest place for him right now," Dean said. "And this is just part of the withdrawal."

"Dean you have him in a headlock," I mumbled.

"He tried to run," Dean shrugged and then addressed Aiden, "You ready to go inside? And, you better think real hard about your answer here, buddy boy."

"Dean, please," Aiden pleaded.

"Aiden," Dean warned.

"Please," Aiden whispered. "Please, Dean, don't make me go in there."

"These are the drugs talking, junior," Dean said. "I swear to you it's safe."

Aiden seemed to finally give and started to walk with Dean into the cabin. Once we were all inside, Dean shut the and armed the security system. The was already a salt line around the house and iron around the entire property. There wasn't anything evil getting anywhere near us. This was one of the bigger houses Dad had gotten for us. I really didn't know how Dad could afford this place but it didn't really matter. We all had our own rooms and it was awesome. I ran up the stairs to my bedroom. It was on the rather plain side but it was still mine and to me that was all mattered. I settled in my room before running down to the kitchen and opening up the pantry. Ugh, just what I thought the only thing in the cabinets were cans and c-rations.

"Dean!" I shouted.

I realized that maybe I shouldn't have shouted when both Sam and Dean came running into the kitchen guns at the ready. When they realized there was no visible threat the put the guns away and Sam walked out of the room. After all, I had only called Dean.

"Hailey Jade," Dean growled. "How many times have I told you not to shout like that?"

"There's no food in the house," I retorted.

Dean shot me an are-you-serious look before rolling his eyes, "So?"

"I'm hungry," I said.

"Then go get food," Dean said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Go ahead," Dean said and then thought about it for a moment. "Back here in an hour."

"Yes, sir," I mock-saluted.

I heard Dean mutter after me before I felt a light slap upside my head. I knew that he was being completely serious but, I was only going to the supermarket. Still ever sine the showdown with the demon we had all been keeping pretty close tabs on each other. I was also surprised that Dean willingly handed over the impala's keys. That showed exactly how worried he was about Aiden.

I climbed into the impala and drove into the closest town. When I found a supermarket I carefully parked the car and pocketed the keys. I grabbed a shopping cart and wheeled into the medium sized supermarket. I went through every aisle getting everything from water to things to stock up the first aid kit. I also got all the junk food we'd need along with food to cook because who knew how long we were gonna stay there.

As I was getting checked out I glanced at my watch noticing that it was nearing the end of my hour time frame. One of the bag boys helped me load all the groceries in the trunk. When everything was in the trunk, I climbed back into the impala and drove back to the cabin. By the time I got back the sun was setting and Dean and Sam were sitting outside waiting for me.

"Did I miss my curfew?" I scoffed as I got out of the car tossing Dean the keys.

"Hailey Jade," Dean began.

"I got you peanut m&ms," I interrupted.

"Damn straight you did," Dean muttered. "Sam get the groceries."

Sam glared at Dean before helping me carry in half of the food. Dean grabbed the case of water and together all three of us unpacked and made the cabin actually feel like a place we could stay. Luckily we had a convinced our father a few years back to get a television and there was a gaming system for it along with free cable that Aiden had hacked into. It was one of the closest things we had to a home. It was something that was just in our family and wasn't Missouri's house or the roadhouse. While they were home to, it wasn't the same as when we were here.

"Where's Aiden?" I asked.

"Asleep on the couch," Sam said.

"Adorable," I snickered.

"Hails, ya gonna cook any of this or not?" Dean prodded.

"Sure," I shrugged.

"Hay, how'd you get beer?" Sam asked.

"I got your favorite," I responded.

"That wasn't what he asked, Hailey," Dean growled.

"I got your favorite too," I shrugged.

"Hailey," Sam and Dean warned together.

"Fake id," I answered.

"Those are for hunts only," Sam scolded.

"Hey, if you don't want it I can take it back," I smirked.

"Now, now, let's not be hasty," Dean backtracked.

Sam and Dean both took a beer before going out into the living room. I shook my head and hid the beer way in the back of fridge. I sighed as I began to cook deciding quickly to make a lasagna. As the lasagna was backing I made mashed potatoes and a salad to go along with it. I put the salad and the mashed potatoes on the kitchen table, before setting the table as well. When the lasagna was ready I took it out and put it in the middle of the table, letting it cool for a few seconds before

"Guys!" I called. "Food!"

I heard the couch creak as Dean, Sam, and Aiden came into the kitchen. We all slid into the chairs as Dean began to dole out the food. It was mostly quiet as we were eating. I had taken a few bites of food when I realized what was missing. I grimaced and dropped my fork. Dad's seat at the head of the table was empty. I was sitting next to Aiden and across from Dean and Sam. My brothers didn't seem to notice or they did and shrugged it off.

"You okay?" Aiden asked.

"May I be excused?" I whispered.

"You've barely eaten," Dean replied.

"Just not hungry," I shrugged. "May I be excused?"

"Yeah," Dean sighed. "We'll save you a plate."

I was about to say don't bother but quickly thought better of it, nodding tightly before slipping out of my chair and jogging up the stairs. I was just about to be on the second floor landing when I paused and sat down o the top stair.

"That was weird," Sam muttered.

"Tell me," Dean responded. "She was the one who wanted food in the first place."

"She was eating," Aiden stated. "And just suddenly stopped."

"Give her some space," Dean said. "I'll check on her later."

"Dean," Sam retorted. "She's been doing this ever since Dad died not eating or sleeping."

"She was getting better," Dean sighed.

"Regressing?" Sam suggested.

"No, she's been eating and sleeping," Dean replied. "I've seen her on no sleep. Besides, man, she doesn't want go to Spenser."

"Spenser?" Aiden muttered. "Like where Reid Garwin goes?"

"Yeah," Dean scoffed.

"Why would she go to Spenser?" Aiden questioned

"Because its not safe to hunt when you're not one hundred percent," Dean lectured. "Which is half the reason why we're here in the first place. She's fine."

"Whatever you say, Dean," Aiden scoffed

Yeah, I'm fine. Perfectly and completely fine. I shook my head and continued to my room. I closed the door after me and quickly logged into my computer. I notice that while Trevor wasn't online, Reid was. I clicked the link as my webcam turned on.

"Hailey!" Reid exclaimed.

I couldn't help but smile, he was in his senior year at Spenser Academy an elite boarding school in Ipswich, Massachusetts. He hadn't changed a bit, he was tall and lanky with platinum blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He was still in his Spenser uniform.

"Hey, Reid," I greeted.

"I was wondering when I'd hear from you," Reid said. "How're you holding up?"

"Not so good," I shook my head. "Not at all."

"Talk to me, Hails," Reid responded.

"It's just been a rough couple of weeks," I said. "And Aiden's been doing coke."

"Really?" Reid whispered. "Shit."

"Yeah, we're in one of our cabins, he's in the middle of withdrawal," I said. "He's shaking and paranoid as hell."

"Shit, Hails," Reid hissed

"Yeah," I shrugged. "What can I say? Just another fucked up incident in the life of a Winchester."

"Don't be like that, Hails," Reid grumbled.

"Yeah, yeah," I rolled my eyes. "How've you been? Giving Caleb hell like usual?"

"Naw," Reid laughed. "Been pretty good with using lately. Oh, and guess who got into Brown and BU?"

"Aw, Reid, that's awesome!" I smiled.

"Yeah," Reid smirked. "Caleb and Pogue want Harvard but I think me and baby boy are content with BU."

"They're both awesome schools," I laughed.

"Yeah, well," Reid shrugged. "What about you?"

"College?" I snickered. "Yeah, right."

"Why not?" Reid asked.

"You know why," I sighed. "Besides I got my GED years ago. I'm probably rusty as hell with the whole school thing."

"I highly doubt that," Reid argued.

"Whatever," I sighed. "I should probably go."

"Yeah, me too," Reid smirked. "Study date."

"Let me guess, anatomy?" I teased.

"Cute," Reid rolled his eyes. "Stay safe, Hails."

"You too," I grinned

My cousin and his friends were witches but they weren't like the ones we hunted either. They were the covenant of silence and had been around for centuries. Within the covenant each family had one heir, the eldest male who were the ones who would carry on the lines. The Garwin family was different primarily because Hilary and Joseph Garwin were both Reid and Charlie's parents. Charlie being the older of the two. Reid and Charlie had the same mother and different fathers.

I logged out of my computer and collapsed on my bed content just to listen to music and stair at the ceiling. My legs dangled off the side of my bed as I just listened to music. I wondered if all of this would eventually be easier. But the fact that it would one day be easier didn't do anything to make me feel better. It felt like I was doomed to feel this way forever. Maybe it was just the life of a Winchester and if that was the case I might as well get use to it.

"Hails," Dean called knocking on my door.

"Hey," I muttered.

Dean opened my door and shut it behind him as he walked over to my bed.

"Hails, listen…" Dean began.

"Dean, I'm fine," I interrupted.

"Hailey Jade, you're a crappy liar," Dean snorted. "Talk to me."

"I'm fine," I repeated.

"Hailey," Dean's all gruff and warning with more than a little iron injected into his tone and I bristled.

Blue eyes met stern green in a dark glare. After a few moments I broke eye contact switching my gaze back to the ceiling. Instead of leaving Dean leaned against the edge of my bed. I don't know if Dean had given up or was just going to stay there until I cracked. Either way it was clear he wasn't going anywhere. Despite my intentions to keep silent I sighed loudly.

"Come on, Hails," Dean groused. "After a sigh like that you can't honestly tell me you're fine."

"Same shit, different day," I shrugged. "Ow!"

Dean had smacked me on the leg and I glared at the back of my brother's head. Sure, the guy had raised me but still for all I cursed Dean cursed ten times more.

"Watch the mouth," Dean scolded.

"You are such a hypocrite!" I complained.

"It's the perk of being the oldest," Dean retorted smirking.

"I was just speaking the truth," I replied. "Way to censor my feelings."

"Oh, shut it, Hails," Dean rolled his eyes, "What do you mean by 'same shit, different day'?"

"I've been feeling the same thing for like two months," I replied. "I figure I should just get use to it."

"Get use to what?" Dean demanded.

"Feeling this way," I shrugged in an offhanded sort of way.

"Feeling how?" Dean asked, his voice getting slightly more dangerous.

"I don't know, Dean," I groaned my the palm of my hands grinding into my eyes attempting to stifle the tears that were coming.

I heard the floor creak as Dean got off the floor. Suddenly, I wasn't in laying on my bed instead I was cradled in Dean's arm as he sat down on my bed, keeping me on his lap safe in his arms. I huffed, attempting to fold my arms but Dean blocked the movement so I instead wrapped one arm around his waist as my other hand grabbed his flannel. I shook my head I had to get over all of this. I didn't see any of my brothers being this weak about the whole thing.

"Hails," Dean whispered. "It's okay."

"No," I grumbled.

"It's okay to grieve, Hails," Dean said. "It's only been two months."

"I don't see you guys running around crying all the time," I frowned.

"No, you see Sammy buried in books, Aiden toking up, and me becoming obsessive when it comes to hunting," Dean corrected. "That doesn't sound a hell of a lot better. Does it, baby?"

"I guess not," I sniffed.

"So tell me what's on your mind," Dean insisted.

"You'll get mad," I whispered.

"No, I won't," Dean stated. "Just talk to me, Hailey."

"I' m glad it wasn't you, Dean," I whimpered. "I miss Dad but if it had been you everything just would've been so much worse. I feel guilty as hell but I can't help the way I feel."

Dean didn't say a word, instead he gripped me tighter as I cried into his neck. I felt a few tears fall on top of my head and I, in turn, tightened my hold on him. I don't know how long I stayed like that but I did know that in the middle of the night I felt Dean kiss my forehead as he tucked me into bed. He walked quickly and quietly trying not to wake me up, too bad I was already awake.

And that was what got me thinking. We weren't on a hunt and it was only us, which immediately translated into the perfect setting for a prank war. I was brilliant. There were plenty of thing we could do and we had a lot of room. It wasn't a small one floor cabin, instead it was four floors including an attic and a basement that had a full weapons arsenal. The entire floor of the basement was covered in padding so that we could spar. I loved the feel of this place because it felt like a wood cabin and that made me feel safe. I figured since I wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon, it was my turn to draw first blood in this prank war.

I snuck into the kitchen and filled a small bowl of warm water. It was around three in the morning meaning that Sam would be fast asleep. I snickered to myself as I crept slowly into his room. Luckily Sam always had one hand dangling off the bed. I snuck up and placed his hand slowly into the warm water. I smothered a laugh as I ran back out of his room and into my own trying to get at least some sleep. I don't know how long I was asleep for, all I knew was that by when I woke up it was anything but quiet.

"DEAN!" Sam yelled.

"What?" Dean demanded, "what is it?"

"Man, Dean, we're not kids anymore!" Sam shouted. "We're not starting this shit up again!"

"Start what up?" Dean asked.

"This prank crap," Sam fumed. "It's stupid and it always escalates."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Dean replied.

"Yeah right," Sam scoffed. "You're always behind this."

"Really?" Dean grumbled. "I'm always behind this?"

I decided that now was the time to go out into the hallway where Sam and Dean were currently having a shouting match. Aiden went out into the hallway about the same time as I did and we shrugged at each other.

"Guys, it's ten thirty," Aiden grumbled.

"Sorry, Aiden, Samantha here is being a bit dramatic," Dean sneered.

"Dramatic?" Sam groused. "You're the one who put my hand in warm water!"

"No, I didn't!" Dean snapped.

"He's right," I grinned.

"Hailey?" Dean and Sam growled.

"Prank war," I sing-songed.

"No," Sam fumed.

"Aw, what's the matter, college boy, scared?" I teased.

"I blame you for this," Sam snapped at Dean while gesturing at me.

"Hey!" Dean and I complained.

"Oh, come on," Sam laughed. "Hailey's like your female mini-me."

"Don't be jealous, sasquatch," Dean reproached. "I personally think it's a good idea."

"Well, then, let's team it up," Sam smirked. "You and Hailey vs. Aiden and I."

"Works for me," Aiden snickered.

"Bring it," I challenged.

"You're going to regret the warm water, Hails," Sam vowed.

"Aw, what's the matter, Sammy?" I sneered. "Don't want Nair in you're shampoo again."

"Just remember you started this," Sam muttered.

"Fine," I retorted.

"Fine," Sam grumbled.


	18. Trust and Blood

**Chapter Eighteen: Trust and Blood**

"_Happiness and sadness run parallel to each other. When one takes a rest, the other one tends to take up the slack."_

The rest of the day passed by with little incident. Sam and Aiden must have been plotting while Dean and I played video games. I sighed as I made my way to the bathroom in order to have a hot shower. I loved this shower because it actually had some water pressure unlike the showers at most of the hotels where we normally stayed.

I stepped under the hot water and sighed. If I was being honest with myself I'd have to say that I really wasn't feeling so well. And I knew instantly that I was probably getting sick from my jaunt in the rain a couple of days ago. Well, I was gonna be keeping this to myself especially since I really was not in the mood for a another lecture about running around in inclement weather. I knew that I had to have some sort of cold medicine around somewhere so I wasn't really worried. I finished up my shower and wrapped a towel around myself. I walked over to the mirror and rubbed a hand across it. What I saw was not what I expected. My normally brownish blonde hair was currently purple.

"AIDEN!" I screamed because it couldn't be anyone else. Sam valued his hair too much and ever since Dean had put Nair into his shampoo years ago he never retaliated with messing with anyone's hair.

I quickly threw on one of Aiden's old Stanford shirts along with a pair of cotton shirts. I tied my purple hair in a ponytail before galloping down the stairs. I found him by sitting on the couch looking pretty proud of himself, which was until I tackled him to the ground. Aiden didn't seem surprised by the hit going so far as to roll over in my hold so that he could laugh freely.

"Nice hair, Hails," Aiden snickered.

"You're such a dick," I grumbled.

"At least purple's your color," Aiden grinned.

I glared at him before getting up and stomping to the kitchen. I opened the refrigerator door and attempted to take one of the beers but Dean leaned over and grabbed it out of my hand, replacing it with a water.

"Not cool, dean," I frowned.

"Underage," Dean shrugged walking out of the room. He had just gone out of the kitchen when he backtracked and stared at me.

"I realize that my hair is purple," I groaned.

Dean looked like he wanted to say something but thought better of it and shook his head.

"This better come out, Aiden!" I called.

"It will," Aiden responded. "In two washes it says."

"Karma's a bitch, big brother," I warned.

"Bring it on, midget!" Aiden laughed.

"Where's Sam?" I questioned Dean.

"No idea," Dean shrugged. "Are you wearing pants?"

"Dean," I groaned giving him a what-the-hell expression.

I glanced down and realized that my short was shorter than the tee shirt I was currently wearing but Aiden's shirt was like a dress anyway. I smiled at him before going back into the living room sitting down near Aiden. He was currently playing Halo on the Xbox360 that we had gotten. I hooked up the other controller and soon we were knee deep in the game. Dean sat down on the lazy boy chair that use to be Dad's, and for a moment we weren't the Winchester hunting family, we were just a family, which was something we didn't get to be very often. I smiled as I killed Aiden's character and he smacked me half-heartedly in the shoulder.

After I won we began a new game of Halo. We were so focused on the game I didn't even notice that Sam came back from wherever he was dropping down on my other side. I felt his eyes burning a hole in the side of my head and I rolled my eyes.

"It's called hair dye, brainiac," I snarked.

"I know," Sam muttered shooting Aiden a look who shrugged in response.

After Aiden and I had lost to Dean it was decided that it was time of dinner. As Dean reheated the food from last night, I sat at the table wondering where Sam had been all this time. I studied his profile carefully realizing that there really was no reason for him to leave unless he was getting something. And, if the way he was smirking at the back of Dean's head was any indication it wasn't gonna be good.

Dinner was once again a fairly quiet affair as we all ate out food. Aiden was stuck with cleaning the dishes as Dean, Sam, and I walked back to the living room. I sat in between Sam and Dean on the couch as Dean flipped through the TV channels looking for something to watch. I was stretched out in between the two with my head on Dean's thigh and my feet in Sam's lap. His hand was resting on top of my leg drumming a beat as we finally found some old horror movie to watch.

Aiden came in a little bit later and crashed in front of me. He leaned his head back against my stomach and one of my hands began to play with his hair. I felt him sigh as he stretched his legs out in front of himself. I think we had all seen nearly every horror movie ever made but we always watched them again. I really don't know why, Dean always tended to ruin them, lecturing the characters as if they could hear him. While it was sometimes annoying, it was mostly entertaining. Tonight we were watching Friday the 13th, a movie that we had all seen at least ten times.

"God, stupid kids," Dean tsked after the movie was over, "I swear…"

"Watch a few horror movies you'll learn a thing," Sam, Aiden and I interrupted and than grinned at each other.

Dean aimed a halfhearted swipe at all of us as we settled in to watch some other movie that must have come out recently. We didn't get a chance all that often to watch the most recent movies, so when we could we did. I wasn't exactly sure what movie this was but it seemed okay enough.

After the last movie, Dean turned off the TV and we all began to go upstairs to get ready for bed. I was brushing my hair which, was beginning to lose its purple color, thank god, when I heard a scream followed by…

"_Sam!"_ Dean yelled.

I snickered under my breath because when Dean said any of our names the way he said Sam's…well, nothing good every came from that voice. I went outside where I noticed that Dean was staring at Sam with his arms crossed, letting him feel the full weight of Dean's glare as Aiden and I stood on the sidelines.

"Dean?" I asked.

"What's going on?" Aiden questioned.

"There's a fucking _hamster_ in my duffel bag," Dean growled.

I laughed and then choked it into sounding like a cough when Dean pinned me with a dark look. Most people thought that Dean Winchester wasn't afraid of anything, unfortunately we all knew better. There were three things that Dean was afraid of, flying, one of us being seriously hurt, and rodents.

"I wonder how that got there," Sam shrugged. "G'night."

"Not so fast there, geek boy," Dean corrected grabbing Sam's wrist to stop him from moving. "Get that stupid thing out of my duffel and set it free. And god help you if it did anything in there."

"What's wrong, big brother?" Sam grinned. "Afraid of the little hamster?"

"Sam," Dean warned.

Sam chuckled the entire way into Dean's room and then emerged a few seconds later holding the hamster in his arms. I shook my head as Sam walked past me to go down the stairs looking entirely too pleased with himself.

"Clowns," Dean growled. "We'll see who is smiling when I find me a fucking blow up clown."

At that comment I laughed outright as Dean continued to mutter about what he was going to do with the clown. All I heard was put it in Sam's closest so that it would pop out. As long as I didn't have to see the freaking thing it was going to be fine because that was one phobia that Sam and I shared. But it would be still be funny. I walked into my room and closed the door, making sure to lock it behind me. There were not enough precautions one could take when being smack-dab in the middle of a prank war.

I slept right through the night and woke up early enough to snag first shower. I made sure to wash my hair a few times and then when the water stopped being purple, I knew the dye had ran its course. I smirked and stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around myself as I walked back to my room. I changed into a tank top and a pair of jeans and walked all the way downstairs into the basement of the cabin.

I punched in the password code that kept the weapons room locked at all times and looked around. Things really hadn't changed at all. I took a few guns and then walked back upstairs. I pulled on my sneakers and a sweatshirt as I darted out of the cabin and around the back. There were reasons why we had this much land to ourselves. It was mostly so that we could practice our shooting without getting arrested.

It was still early in the morning, the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon. I breathed deeply as I took in the old range that Dad had built. The targets wee still there, which was pretty awesome. I took out one of guns are leveled it at the target in front of me and it felt like I was ten years old again, with my father and brothers right by my side.

_It was the first time that my father had even let me hold a gun. He had knelt down so that we were eye to eye as he explained everything to me. He showed me how to turn the safety on and off and how to actually fire the gun. He explained that there were all sorts of ammo that we had ranging from rock salt to iron and everything in between. He then put the gun in my hands. It was slightly heavy and I looked at it in awe. It was something that my brothers had been holding or years. And during all these years all I had was a little pig sticker, I couldn't even hold the weapons bag. But, all of that was about to change. I was ten years old now and I was big enough to hold and even fire this gun._

_My little chest puffed out as I took in my brothers and father's solid strength. With two hands I leveled the gun pointing it directly at the gun. I flipped the safety off and then fired. Dad said that you fire once, feel the recoil and timed the trigger pulls. I hit near and around the bulls eye._

"_Good job, baby," Dad praised._

"_You're a natural," Dean grinned._

"_The recoil didn't even knock her down," Aiden smirked._

"_Wow," was all Sam could say._

A lot had changed between then and now. For one, I had finally gotten boobs and was more than five feet, although not by much. I also, wasn't that innocent anymore. I had seen real pain and felt real grief and the experience of either was enough to change someone permanently. I liked to think that I could be a hunter in my own right but the truth was I knew that we all had a reputation, the one we had all earned together. Sure we all had our own reputations working but nothing commanded respect the way it did when we were all together.

"Hailey!" Aiden shouted.

I turned just in time to see Aiden running with guns blazing. I took in his disheveled appearance as he slid to a halt beside me looking for some unforeseen threat.

"Are you okay?" Aiden demanded. "Where is it?"

"Where's what?" I asked.

"The demon!" Aiden yelled. "Where'd it go? You were shooting!"

"Aiden, it's okay," I soothed, "I was just practicing. You know demons can't come in."

Aiden still seemed suspicious as he grabbed my arm and began to drag me to the cabin his eyes moving constantly looking for something that wasn't there. I wondered vaguely how long all of this would last because Aiden sure as hell couldn't be hunting if he thought the demon was always going to be there. Aiden didn't stop dragging me behind him until him and I were in the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Sam asked.

"I was just practicing my aim," I responded. "And then Aiden came out with two guns blazing."

"The demon," Aiden protested. "The demon was there."

"Aiden, it wasn't," Sam soothed. "We're all perfectly safe here. Now both of you put the guns back before Dean comes downstairs."

Aiden seemed to take Sam at his word leading the way back down into the basement. He punched in the password code and we made sure to leave the guns exactly where we had found them. Figuring that it was better that Dean didn't know about Aiden's set back. Honestly it was probably my mistake, sneaking out of the house early in the morning to do target practice of all things. And even if I did decide to practice I should've used a silencer.

"I'm sorry, Aiden," I whispered as we began to walk back up the stairs.

"Don't mention it, Hails," Aiden responded.

I nodded my head as we walked back into the kitchen. I sat down after pouring myself a cup of coffee. Suddenly Aiden dropped down across from me with at least five spoons in his hand.

"Aiden?" Sam asked.

"Bend these," Aiden ordered looking directly at me.

"What?" I grumbled.

"You're a spoon bender, aren't ya?" Aiden asked.

"Aiden," I sighed.

"Come on, Hails you can bend them right back." Aiden smiled.

I rolled my eyes and decided to bend the spoons if only to get Aiden off my back. I had just started to bend them when Dean came into the room, throwing off my concentration so that my partially full cup of coffee went careening into the wall. Sam, Aiden and Dean jumped and stared at me in shock.

"Oops," I grimaced. "My bad."

"What the hell happened to the spoons?" Dean asked eyeing the now shattered coffee cup.

"Hailey was showing off her powers," Aiden said

"They aren't powers," I muttered. "And you told me too."

"And what happened with the cup?" Dean questioned.

"Lost my concentration," I muttered.

"Smooth, Hails," Dean smirked. "Fix the spoons and clean up that mess, alright?"

"Okay, Dean," I sighed.

I waved my hands over the spoons making it so that they were straight again. I then glanced at the shattered coffee cup and the pieces zoomed past Dean into the trashcan. I mopped up the spilled coffee before sitting back in my seat. I glanced up and saw the freaked out look on Dean's face. He looked pale and there was something I couldn't place in Dean's eye.

That look right there was the whole reason why I kept my psychic abilities a secret from him because for as much as Dean sprouts on about wanting to know everything and attempting to keep an open mind there were just some things he wasn't ready for. I quietly excused myself from the table and walked outside. I was in the backyard and turned around. The cabin had a flat rough and I quickly and efficiently climbed up the drain pipe. I scurried towards the window and sat down.

What the hell did Azazel want with us? With all of us? Why did both Sam and I have abilities? And why did my abilities seem so much more progressive than Sam's did. All I knew was that it couldn't be anything good. Once again I felt that sudden crushing despair that had been lurking in the background even before Dad had died. It felt like my entire family was cursed. Dean was forced to constantly be watching our backs, barely paying attention to his own, Aiden was doing drugs and currently detoxing from them, and Sam and I were apart of some demon's unknown plan. The Winchester's were cursed there were no if, ands, or buts about it.

"What is with you and finding high places?" I heard Sam's voice come through the window.

I jumped slightly although I expected my brothers to come looking for me eventually. They never let me wallow for long. I snickered as Sam's long limbs attempted to climb out of the window. A few minutes later, he had crashed down beside me and looked at me, obviously wanting his previous question answered.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Just something about them that makes me feel better."

"So, you wanna talk about it?" Sam asked.

"Talk about what?"

"The fact that you nearly ran out of the kitchen," Sam replied raising a brow.

"Dean," I whispered.

"What about him?" Sam asked.

"He looks at me differently," I muttered.

"Hails, the guy is trying," Sam reproached. "This whole thing came on so suddenly that of course he isn't gonna know how to react when he sees you openly using it."

"He was so pale," I whimpered.

"It's not everyday a cup goes flying by his head without any one of us touching it," Sam responded.

I rolled my eyes resting my chin on top of my knee as I gazed out just looking at our property.

"Come on, Hails," Sam coaxed. "It'll get better soon. Just let's get inside. You know how much Dean hates it when you climb things."

"I break one bone twelve years ago and the man never lets me here the end of it," I grumbled as I climbed back into the house.

"Hails, you broke your arm in five places by free falling from a tree," Sam pointed out.

"I would've landed fine if Dean wasn't screaming at me," I pouted.

"Hailey, you fell like thirty feet to the ground," Sam scoffed.

"Dean said I could climb the tree," I retorted.

"Yeah, if you didn't go too high," Sam laughed, "or did you not remember the 'Hailey! Too high!"

"Oh, right," I grinned sheepishly.

"You scared him so bad," Sam grimaced.

"_Dean, can I climb the tree?" I asked tugging on my older brother's shirt._

_Dean who was sixteen at the time had to crouch down just to look me in my eyes as he was already six feet tall. I, however, was not._

"_What's with you and climbing things, monkey?" Dean teased._

"_I dunno," I shrugged my small shoulders. "Please, Dean? I'll be careful. I promise!"_

"_Alright, Hails, don't go too high, you hear me?" Dean sighed._

"_Yes, sir!" I whooped._

_I ran over to a tree that actually had a branch near my head. I grasped it easily lifting myself onto the branch. After that I quickly bounced from one branch to the other until I thought that I was a suitable distance from the ground. I sat down on the branch and let my feet dangled off. I could see the entire park from here, including my brother Dean who was flirting with some girl and Sam who had his nose buried in a book, or at least he did, until he glanced right at the tree I was in._

"_Hailey!" Sam yelped._

_Noting the distress in Sam's tone, Dean swiveled around quickly looking to where Sam's eyes were gazing._

"_Hailey!" Dean shouted suddenly ignoring the girl, "too high!"_

_I shrugged at Dean before lifting myself off the branch and dangling off of it before letting myself go. I was just about to grab a branch when I heard Dean scream._

"_Hailey Jade, no!"_

_I was so surprised that I missed the branch and smacked into another before plummeting straight to the ground. I heard a crack and immediately began to cry. I heard two sets of boots come running at me before I was suddenly scooped up into Dean's arm._

"_D-dean i-it hurts!" I wailed._

"_Shhh," Dean soothed. "You're going to be okay."_

"_Dean that looks broken," Sam corrected._

"_I know, geek," Dean hissed._

_Sam and Dean walked together as Dean led me towards the closest medical clinic. It was at times like these where Dean really needed his own car. He had been dropping hints at Dad for the impala ever since he had gotten his real license and well, the old man hadn't given it up yet._

_An hour later my arm was wrapped in plaster and Dean and Sam had taken a cab back to the motel room we were staying in. Sam and Aiden suddenly made themselves scarce as Dean crouched in front of me, his heavy-lidded eyes looking grave._

"_Hailey," Dean frowned. "What did I tell you about climbing that high?"_

"_Sorry," I whimpered. _

"_You shouldn't have jumped," Dean scolded. "Scared me half to death."_

""_M sorry Dean," I wailed lunging into Dean's already open arms._

I shook my head as the memory raced to from the forefront of my mind back to where it belonged, "Yeah, Sam, I remember. Dean busted my ass so bad."

"You didn't listen to instructions," Sam sighed. "And you got yourself hurt and scared him half to death, thereby guaranteeing yourself an uncomfortable couple of days, broken bone excluded."

I rolled my eyes as Sam and I walked by the bathroom where someone was taking a shower. I pretended that I had to go get something from my room and Sam headed back downstairs. When I heard Sam and Dean talking downstairs I quickly realized who was in the showers. I smirked and picked the lock only opening it to stick my had inside. I made a flushing movement with my fingers and the toilet flushed. Seconds later I heard Aiden's shriek as the water temperature changed. Losing any chance I had at my subtly charade I burst out laughing. The door swung open seconds later. A towel was wrapped around Aiden's waist and his hair was soaking wet along with nearly everything else.

""M gonna kill you," Aiden vowed lunging forward, "c'mere!"

"All's fair in love and prank war, genius boy," I whooped and then yelped when Aiden suddenly charged forcing me to run down the stairs.

"That was so weak, Hails!" Aiden was growling.

"Don't insult the classics!" I snickered running into the kitchen and hiding behind Dean.

"Aiden, I'd be very appreciative if you would wear some clothing," Dean rolled his eyes.

"Move," Aiden ordered. "M about to make sure that we're down a sister."

"You dyed my hair," I protested. "I got you back."

"Them's the rules," Dean shrugged.

"I'll get'cha back," Aiden hissed.

"Sure ya will," I grinned.

Dean and Sam looked slightly amused as Aiden stalked back out of the kitchen. The rest of the night passed by without incident. Dean ordered some pizza from town and we watched more movies. It wasn't until we were about to go to sleep when I even remembered that the prank war was in full swing.

Two pranks happened fairly instantaneously. I stepped into a booby trap, rope was wrapped around the ceiling fan leaving me dangling in the middle of my room. Before I could even begin to curse whoever was behind this, Sam let out a startled shriek.

"Dean!" Sam yelped. "You put a fucking clown in my closest?!"

"You put a hamster in my bag," Dean shrugged and then looked into my open room, "Hails?"

"Hi, Dean," I smirked.

"What are you doing?" Dean questioned.

"Just hanging around," I shrugged.

Dean glared at me, rolling his eyes as he grabbed his pocket knife, cutting me loose.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Alright, this prank war's over," Dean said.

"Dean, it's fine," I soothed.

"Is that the leg that you recently broke?" Dean demanded when I nodded my head he sighed. "That's what I thought. This whole thing is over."

After we all agreed to a truce, we headed to our separate bedrooms ready to sleep. It was the middle of the night when I woke up. I frowned trying to figure out why I had woken up when I was dead asleep moments before. It was then I realized that something was wrong. Something made me think that I had to go out into the hallway When I heard stifled sounds of whimpers and groans coming from Sam's room, I burst into the door. I found Sam on the ground clutching his head. His eyes were open but he couldn't see me. He was getting a vision. Why was he in so much pain When I could just use mine without consequence?

"Dean!" I shouted. "Dean! Come quick! Sammy's hurt!"

Sam was moaning in pain as I crouched down in front of him, taking his face in my hands.

"Sammy?" I whispered. "What's wrong?"

"My head," Sam whimpered.

"Sam?" I yelped. "What's goin on?"

"Hails," Sam gasped. "V-vision."

"Dean!" I shouted. "Sammy's having a vision! DEAN!"

Thankfully, Dean came racing into the room and gently pushed me out of the way. Aiden came running in too. And I sank onto Sam's bed watching as Dean took over. We had never actually seen him have a vision before. It also wasn't making any of us feel any better because of the fact he was in pain. When he seemed to be coming back around we all took a breath. Dean's hands were still on Sam's shoulders while one of Sam's hands had Dean's tee shirt in a death grip.

"What did you see, Sammy?" Dean asked

"I saw a dark room, some people, and a guy tied to a chair," Sam whispered. "And you killed the guy."

"I ventilated him?" Dean questioned.

"Yeah," Sam answered. "You thought there was something inside him."

"A demon?" Aiden suggested. "Was he possessed?"

"I don't know," Sam muttered. "But I know where we were."

"Where?" Dean asked.

"River Grove, Oregon," Sam stated.

"I don't understand," I responded. "You said that all your visions so far have been connected to the demon…"

"Was there any black smoke?" Dean asked. "Did we try to exorcise it?"

"No, nothing," Sam shrugged. "You just plugged him."

"Well, I'm sure I had a good reason," Dean replied.

"I sure hope so," Sam grumbled.

"Anyway, what should we do?" I asked.

"Everyone pack up," Dean said. "We'll leave in thirty. Hailey pack up the food, we're bringing it with us."

"Okay."

And just like that we were once again on the move. I vaguely wondered if Aiden was ready and I glanced at him. He seemed to notice my gaze and just nodded his head. He was saying that he'd be alright and I was going to believe him, I just hope this hunt didn't backfire on us.


	19. Another Thin Line

**Chapter Nineteen: Another Thin Line**

"_Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won't have time to make them all yourself."_

It was the longest we had ever taken a break from hunting. Well, that wasn't true, we had taken longer breaks for recuperation periods. But, this was one of the first times where we actively fell off the map. Sure, Aiden had to detox but by the end of the jaunt even he was ready to leave, which was part of the reason why the prank war was as successful as it was.

The silence in the impala was nearly deafening. It was close to three in the morning and there was no one else on the road. The impala's engine was slowly putting me to sleep. Sam's phone was giving us directions and it would take nearly half the day to get to Oregon from New York. It was this part of why I hated being a hunter. We drove all over the country sometimes spending six hours in a car before rest stops. Sure, we could sleep, or talk, or even research the up coming hunt but this time it felt different. We weren't going off of the normal intel whether that was newspaper articles, the internet, or someone throwing us a lead. Instead, we were going off of something that Sammy had saw in his head.

I could tell that this whole thing didn't sit right with Dean. Hell, I wasn't even sure how I thought. The difference between my abilities and Sam's was astounding. I wanted to know why I had stronger abilities and why mine didn't make me feel like my head was going to explode. What could this mean and why were there two of us? Azazel had made it clear that there were others like us and there were probably a lot more.

"Hailey!" Dean called from the front seat.

I straightened up and looked towards Dean who was looking at me through the rearview mirror. I glanced at Aiden and Sam who were both looking at me too.

"What?" I asked.

"You were muttering things," Aiden told me ever so helpfully, "And you were grinding your teeth again."

"Oh," I flushed.

"Everything okay?" Dean asked.

"Yup," I answered.

A painful beat passed as Dean locked eyes with me. I unintentionally held my breath as I waited to see whether Dean would call me out on the outright lie. Finally he turned back around and I exhaled the breath I was holding. I looked around not seeing anything that was even remotely familiar. I frowned and glanced at the clock. We had only been driving for three hours and all I wanted was to get out of the car.

Normally I was the one who was fine with long car rides. Especially since I was the only one who could fit in the impala comfortably. I could lie down in the back seat if I really wanted to. None of my brothers shared that luxury. I huffed a sigh and willed myself to sleep.

"_Well, well, well," Someone growled. "Long time, no see, Hailey Winchester."_

"_What the hell do you want?" I hissed. Of course when I was thinking of Azazel he'd randomly show up._

"_Is that anyway to greet an old friend," Azazel scolded._

"_Oh, excuse me," I responded. "Go fuck yourself. Is that better?"_

"_Haven't we had numerous discussions about this pesky little attitude of yours?" Azazel grumbled._

_I slammed against the wall and just like last time my stomach felt like it was being ripped open. I bit my lip in the effort it took not to scream._

"_I'm going to kill you!" I snarled._

"_Why because I killed Mommy and Daddy?" Azazel snickered. "I'm going to kill your brothers next."_

"_Not if we kill you first," I shouted._

"_Kiddo, people have been trying to kill me for centuries," Azazel rolled his eyes. "You think you and your little band of halfwits are going to succeed?"_

"_Yeah," I sneered. "I do."_

"_Sure," Azazel shook his head. "But this isn't why I came."_

"_Then why did you?" I hissed._

"_You think I haven't heard you're questions?" Azazel retorted. "You're stronger because you accept your gifts, Sam fight's his resulting in those headaches. There's others like you to weed out who's the strongest to be the commander and second in command. You were both chosen because you show a lot of potential and have an edge over your peers."_

"_But the real question is can you actually take orders," Azazel wondered aloud._

_Suddenly the pain in my abdominals flared to a white hot pain. It gasped as Azazel continued to look at me and then just as quickly as it started it disappeared._

"_Until we meet again, Winchester," Azazel said._

I rocketed out of my hunched over position before I hissed thankful that the impala didn't have seatbelts.

"Hay?" Aiden whispered.

"Stop the car!" I shouted.

Dean stomped down on the break but I was already out of the car before it came to a completely stop. I fell to my knees and threw up. I whimpered as wave after wave of nausea assaulted my body. Tears streamed out of my eyes with vomiting and the pain it was already putting on my abused stomach. I hissed breathing sharply. My hands were white knuckled on the ground as I fought to get up. I felt a presence on either side of me as Aiden and Sam gently helped me stand. Dean held out a bottle of water looking at me with an unreadable expression.

"How much longer to Oregon?" I asked.

"A good chunk of the day," Dean sighed. "it might even take two."

"Terrific," I muttered.

I climbed back into the impala and my brothers followed suit. We didn't have time to waste. I took some pain killers when I thought no one was looking because staying in one hunched over position wasn't really making my stomach feel any better. I knew without looking that it was bruised just like it was the last time.

One day later we finally pulled into River Grover, Oregon. It had taken nearly all my sanity as well as Dean's patience. Rest stops were quick and tense as we got out to stretch our legs or grab something to eat. Dean drove slowly through the town until Sam spotted someone.

"He was there," Sam says, pointing at a man putting together a gun on his porch.

We all got out of the car and made our way over to the man. Dean and Sam were in the front and Aiden and I were in the back.

"Morning," Dean called.

"Morning," The man said, "can I help you?"

"Yeah, uh Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, William Gates, and Tabitha Walker US Marshalls," Dean said pulling out his badge.

"What's this about?" The man asked.

"We're looking for someone," Dean replied.

"A young man, early twenties," Sam explained. "He'd have a thin scar right below his hairline."

"What'd he do?" The man asked.

"Well, nothing," Sam said. "We're actually looking for someone else, but we think this young man can help us."

"He's not in any kind or trouble or anything," Dean stated. "Well, not yet. I think maybe you know who he is, Master Sergeant. My dad was in the Corps. He was a corporal."

"What company?" The sergeant asked.

"Echo 2-1," Dean responded.

"So, can you help us?" Sam questioned.

Duane Tanner's got a scare like that," The Sergeant said, "But I know him, good kid, keeps his nose clean."

"I'm sure he does," Dean soothed. "You know where he lives?"

"With his family, up on Aspen Way," The sergeant answered.

"Thank you for your time," I smiled.

We all turned and walked away on our way back to the car Sam bumps into a telephone pole. He glanced at it and then stopped.

"Hey," Sam called. He pointed to the wood and I saw the word Croatoan engraved on the pole.

"Croatoan?" Dean asked. He seemed slightly confused attempting to process why the word was familiar.

"Yeah," Sam responded. "Roanoke? Lost colony? Ring a bell? Dean, did you pay any attention in history class."

"Yeah," Dean nodded. "The shot heard 'round the world how bills become laws…"

"That's not school!" Sam groaned and I stifled a laugh, "That's Schoolhouse Rock!"

"Whatever," Dean shrugged.

"Roanoke was one of the first English colonies in America, late 1500s," Sam explained.

"Oh," Dean groaned. "Now I remember. The only thing left behind was a single word craved in a tree, Croatoan."

"Yeah," Sam sad. "There's been theories, Indian raid, diseases. But nobody knows what really happened. They were all just gone, wiped out overnight."

"You don't think that's what's going on here?" I whispered.

"Whatever I saw in my head, it sure wasn't good," Sam sighed. "But what do you think could do that?"

"Well, it seems as though all your visions are tied to the Yellow-eyed demon somehow, so…" Dean replied.

"We should get help," Sam said. "Bobby? Ellen, maybe?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Dean agreed.

He took his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen, "I don't have a signal."

Sam, Aiden, and I then took out our phones. We didn't have signals either.

"So much for can you hear me now," I grumbled pocketing my phone once more.

"Pay phone," Aiden pointed out.

We walked over to the payphone and Dean lifted the receiver holding it to his ear before putting it back in the cradle, "Line's dead." Dean then lowered his voice, "I'll tell you one thing if I were gonna massacre a town, that'd be my first step."

"Great," I muttered.

Seeing no other choice but to handle this all by ourselves, we got back into the car and drove to Aspen Way. When we got to the Tanners house. Dean signaled that Aiden and I would take the back way while Sam and Dean would go in through the front in case anyone was home. I went one way and Aiden went the other so that we'd run into each other at the back of the house. Seeing nothing of suspicion I quickened my pace until I felt the hair at the back of my neck stand up. I glanced through one of the windows and saw who I assumed was Mrs. Tanner tied to a chair. Great, we were dealing with psychos. I jumped when a hand landed on my shoulder and turned quickly. It was just Aiden who had seen the same thing we had. We heard the front door close as our brothers walk away.

"That was kinda creepy right?" Dean asked. "A little too Stepford?"

"Big time," Sam agreed.

Sam caught our eye and we gestured for them to come as I watched Mr. Tanner grab a knife. His son rolled up his sleeve hovering behind his mother. Mr. Tanner then took the knife and cut his son's forearm. The blood from the cut began to drip on Mrs. Tanner's shoulder.

Sam and Dean had caught the tail end of what was going on and together we pulled our guns out as Dean kicked the door in and all four of us rushed in. Mr. Tanner started screaming and moved to lunge but Dean shot him twice. He crumbled to the floor as the kid began to run, he broke through the window and ran away. I couldn't fault Sam for not taking the shot after all the person he was supposed to shoot was just a kid.

Aiden and Sam helped Mrs. Tanner to her feet while Dean grabbed a blanket wrapping it around Mr. Tanner's body as well all got back into the impala. Dean drove us back to town where we had seen a medical clinic. When we all arrived. Aiden and Sam helped Mrs. Tanner out of the car, while I held back to see if Dean would need any help. He hefted the body onto his shoulders and I closed the trunk, following after him.

"Hey!" Dean called to the doctor. Dr. Lee her nametag said.

"Is that…?" Dr. Lee began to ask.

"Mr. Tanner," Dean interrupted.

"Was he attacked to?" Dr. Lee questioned.

"Uh, no," Dean answered. "He did the attacking and then got himself shot."

I rolled my eyes thinking that Dean could've phrased that a little bit differently.

"Shot?" Dr. Lee gasped.

"Yup," Dean grimaced.

"And who are you?"

"US Marshall," Dean said. "I'd show you my badge, but, uh…"

"Oh, sorry," Dr. Lee responded. "Bring him back here."

Dean followed the doctor back to what I thought was her office as I walked to where Aiden and Sam were hovering. Mrs. Tanner was sitting on an examination table looking really upset. Then again who could blame her? She was explaining what had happened while the doctor and the assistant, Pamela looked on in disbelief.

"Wait, you said Jake helped him?" Dr Lee said, "your son, Jake?"

"They beat me," Beverly nodded. "Tied me up."

"I don't believe it," Pamela muttered.

"Pam," Dr. Lee warned.

Pamela shrugged but kept quiet as the conversation continued, "Beverly, do you have any idea why they would act this way? Any history of chemical dependency?"

Despite myself I glanced over to Aiden who had squirmed uncomfortably at the words chemical dependency. I patted him on the arm and he squeezed my fingers in return.

"No, of course not," Beverly sniffed. "I don't know why. One minute, they were my husband and my son. And the next they had the devil in them."

Dean had come into the room and stood behind all of us leaned in close and said in a voice only we'd be able to hear, "We need to talk."

We followed Dean back out to the main room. Dean waited only a second before he turned around and hissed, "These people are whacked out of their gourds."

"What do you think?" Sam asked, "multiple demons? Mass possession."

"If it is a possession, there could be more," Dean muttered. "God knows how many. It could be like a friggin' Shriner Convention."

"Great," Sam growled.

"Course, that's one way to wipe out a town," Dean shrugged. "Take it out from the inside."

"It doesn't seem right to me," I said. "We didn't see any smoke when you ganked Tanner, he just dropped."

"Well, whatever," Dean threw a hand up. "I mean, something turned him into a monster. And you know, if Sam had taken out the other one, there'd be one less to worry about."

"I'm sorry, all right?" Sam snapped. "I hesitated, Dean. It was a damn kid."

"No, it was an 'it'," Dean spat. "Not the best time for a bleeding heart, Sam."

Sam couldn't offer a rejoinder because the doctor had come into the waiting room and was staring at all of us.

"How's the patient?" Sam asked shooting a glare at Dean who rolled his eyes.

"Terrible," Dr. Lee answered. "What the hell happened out there?"

"We don't know," Dean replied.

"Yeah?" Dr. Lee growled. "Well, you just killed my next-door neighbor."

"We didn't have a choice," Dean stated firmly.

"Maybe so," Dr. Lee frowned. "But we need the county sheriff. I need the coroner."

"Phones are down," Sam said.

"I know," Dr. Lee grumbled. "I've tried. Tell me you've gotta police radio in the car."

"We do," Sam said. "But it's crapped out just like everything else."

"I don't understand what's happening," Dr. Lee sighed.

"How far is it to the next town?" Dean asked.

"It's about forty miles down to Sidewinder," Dr. Lee said.

"All right, I'm gonna go down there and see if I can find some help," Dean suggested. "My partners will stick around and keep you guys safe."

"Safe from what?" Dr. Lee demanded.

"We'll get back to you on that," Dean replied before leaving the medical clinic and leaving Sam, Aiden, and I to deal with whatever was going on. I locked eyes with Aiden who shrugged and sat down on the couch in the waiting room. Sam walked off with the doctor and I followed after them. Dr. Lee had taken a blood sample from Mr. Tanner who was lying on the autopsy table.

"Huh," Dr. Lee murmured.

"What?" Sam asked.

"His lymphocyte percentage was high," Dr. Lee explained. "His body was fighting off a viral infection."

"Really?" Sam questioned. "What kind of virus?"

"Can't say for sure," Dr. Lee sighed.

"Is there an infection that could have made him act like that?" I queried.

"None that I've ever heard of," Dr Lee said. "I mean some can cause dementia, but not that kind of violence. And besides, I've never heard of one that does this to the blood."

"What did it do?" Sam prodded.

"There's this weird residue," Dr. Lee grimaced. "If I didn't know any better I'd say it was sulfur."

Sam and I locked eyes both sharing the same expression…astonishment. There were demons who could cause diseases now?

"Sam?" I whispered.

"What?" Sam replied.

"Mr. Tanner bled directly into Beverley's wound."

"Shit."

Sam and I walked side by side as we went into the examination room that Beverly was sitting on. Dr. Lee came in behind us looking a little confused but mostly worried. She began asking Beverly questions, which didn't help much except confuse Beverly.

"I don't understand," Beverly said. "You're saying my husband and Jake had a disease?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Dr. Lee replied. "Now, during the attack, do you remember, did you have any direct contact with their blood?"

"Oh, my god," Beverly gasped. "You don't think I've got this virus, do you?"

"Beverly, I don't know what to think," Dr. Lee sighed. "But with your permission, we'll take a blood sample."

Beverly paused for a moment and then smiled at the doctor. She reached her hand out and then suddenly she began screaming. It was obvious that she had the same thing Mr. Tanner had. She jumped off the table and smacked Dr. Lee to the floor. Sam pushed me behind him as he stared at Beverly. She then grabbed Sam knocking him into the cabinet before rounding on me. I saw the glint of silver and moved backward. Before she could stab me, Sam had grabbed an oxygen tank and then proceeded to smack her over the head with it.

"You okay?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Dr. Lee?" Sam questioned. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Dr. Lee responded lifting herself off the floor.

With Beverly suddenly unconscious Sam lifted her up and put him into the supply closest and locked the door. He then gave me a look that clearly said that he hoped Dean got back soon. I had to nod in agreement this hunt was nine kinds of crazy. I was pacing the floor of the waiting room, with Aiden's eyes on my back as I waited for Dean to come back. I huffed and sighed as I heard Sam talking to Pamela who wanted to make sure that her boyfriend was okay.

"Wait!" Sam called trailing after her, "I know you're upset, all right? But it's safer if you stay here for now. Help is coming."

We all heard the rumble of the impala and I sighed in relief, "See there they are."

"Sammy, open up!" Dean ordered knocking on the door.

Sam walked over and opened the door and Dean walked through it with the Sergeant from earlier following behind him.

"You get to a phone?" Aiden asked.

"Roadblock," Dean grumbled before turning to the Sergeant, "I'm gonna have a word. The Doc's inside."

"Dean, what's going on?" I groaned once we were all alone.

"I don't know," Dean sighed. "I feel like Chuck Heston in _The Omega Man_. Sarge was the only sane person I could find. What are we dealing with, do you know?"

"Yeah, Doc thinks it's a virus," Sam answered.

"And what do you think?" Dean asked.

"I think she's right," Sam shrugged.

"Really?" Dean gaped.

"Yeah, and I think the infected are trying to infect others with blood-to-blood contact. Oh, but it gets better. The virus leaves traces of sulfur in the blood."

"A demonic virus?" Dean growled.

"More like demonic germ warfare," Sam said. "At least that explains why I'm having visions."

"It's like a biblical plague," Dean mumbled.

"You don't know how right you are," Aiden said. "I've been reading through Dad's journal. I found something about the Roanoke colony."

"And?" Dean prodded.

"Dad always had a theory about Croatoan," Aiden explained. "He thought it was a demon's name, sometimes known as Dever or sometimes Reshef. A demon of plague and pestilence."

"Well, that's terrific," Dean hissed. "Why here? Why now?"

"I have no idea," Aiden muttered. "But who knows how far this thing can spread? We've gotta get these people out of here, we've gotta warn people."

"They've got one!" The sergeant shouted.

We all walked back into the examination room with Dean in the front.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

"The wife," Sam whispered. "She's infected."

"We've gotta take care of this," Sergeant growled. "We can't just leave her in there. My neighbors, they were strong. The longer we wait the stronger she'll get."

The sergeant pulled out his gun and Dean mirrored his movement. He stood outside the door of the supply closest guns at the ready.

"You're goin to kill Beverly Tanner?" Pamela demanded.

"Doctor, could there be any treatment?" Sam wondered. "Some kind of cure for this?"

"Can you cure it?" Dean barked.

"For god's sake, I don't even know what it is!" Dr. Lee replied.

"I'm telling you," The sergeant sighed. "It's a matter of time before she breaks through."

"Just leave her there!" Pamela shrieked. "You can't shot her like an animal!"

"Sam," Dean ordered quietly ignoring Pamela completely. When all three had weapons at the ready Sam walked over and put his hand on the door at the signal Dean gave he opened it up and Dean and Sarge rushed through.

"Mark," Beverly whimpered. "What are you doing? Mark, it's them! They locked me in here, they tried to kill me! They're infected, not me! Please, Mark! You've known me all your life! Please!"

Dean turned and regarded Sam, "You're sure she's one of them?"

"Yes," Sam answered quickly.

Without hesitation Dean turned back around and shot Beverly. I flinched slightly and Dr. Lee and Pamela looked horrified but there was nothing else we could do. It was getting darker outside and while we were barricaded into the clinic who knew how long we'd last in here. There was not much we could do except get the weapons ready. We were all sitting around a table when we heard a scream.

Pamela was the one who screamed after accidently dropping a vial of blood. The more time we spent with these people the more I realized that Pamela was incredibly annoying. I rolled my eyes as she began to have a full blown tantrum about wanting to leave. One thing was for sure, though. We had to get out of here.

"I'm not sure we have a choice," Sarge said. "Lots of folks up here are good with rifles. Even with all your hard work, we're easy targets so unless you have explosives."

"We could make some," Sam said eyeing the bottles on the shelf.

Suddenly someone began to pound on the front door, "Hey, let me in! Let me in, please!"

"It's Duane Tanner!" Sarge responded opening the door for Duane. By the way Sam flinched, I guess that was the man Dean killed in his vision.

"Oh, thank god," Duane whispered.

"Are you okay?" Sarge asked.

"That's the guy that, I uh…" Dean whispered then made a killing gesture.

"Yeah," Sam grimaced.

"Who else is here?" Duane asked.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Dean exclaimed. "Easy there, chief. Hey, Doc, give Duane a good once over, would you?"

"Pam?" Dr. Lee called as we all went into one of the examination rooms.

"Who are you?" Duane asked Dean as he sat on the table.

"Never mind who I am," Dean replied. "Doc?"

"Duane, where have you been?" Sarge asked.

"I was on a fishing trip up by Roseland," Duane said. "I came back this afternoon. I saw Roger McGill being dragged out of his house by people we know. They started cutting him with knives? I ran, I've been hiding in the woods ever since. Has anyone seen my mom and dad?"

"Awkward," Dean hissed and I shook my head.

"You're bleeding," Dr. Lee noted.

"Where'd you get that?" Dean asked.

"I was running and I must've tripped," Duane shrugged.

"Tie him up, there's rope in there," Dean ordered.

"Wait!" Duane stood up.

"Sit down!" Dean commanded raising his gun.

"Sorry, Duane, he's right," Sarge said. "We've gotta be careful."

"Careful?" Duane snapped. "About what?"

"Did they bleed on you?" Dean asked.

"No, what the hell? No!" Duane shouted.

"Doc, anyway to know for sure? Any tests?" Sam asked as the sergeant began to tie Duane up.

"I've studied Beverly's blood work backwards and forwards," Dr. Lee sighed.

"My mom?" Duane wondered.

"It took three hours for the virus to incubate, sulfur didn't appear in the blood until then, so…no, there'd be no way of knowing," Dr. Lee explained. "Not until after Duane turns."

"Dean, I've got to talk to you," Sam growled. "Now."

I stayed back as Sam and Dean left the room. I felt people's eyes on me but ignored them, instead waiting for my brothers to come back. I heard a sudden shout as the tumbler locked in place. Dean came back into the room with the gun at the ready.

"Oh, no," Duane whimpered. "You're not gonna…no! I swear, it's not in me!"

"Oh, God!" Pamela sobbed. "We're all gonna die."

"Maybe he's telling the truth," Sarge suggested.

"No, he's not him, not anymore," Dean argued.

"Stop it! Ask her! Ask the doctor!" Duane pleaded.

"I can't tell," The doctor whispered when Dean's gaze landed on hers.

"Please, don't," Duane cried. "Don't please, I swear, it's not in me, it's not in me! I swear, it's not in me! Don't!"

"I've got no choice," Dean sighed. Dean raised his gun and I tried to ignore the sounds of Duane sobbing, wincing as he prepared to be shot. Dean's finger is twitching on the trigger but he can't shoot. "Damn it!"

Dean stormed out of the room with me following quickly at his heels. He unlocked Sam out of the room who glared at Dean before coming out of the room.

"Time to make explosives," Dean prodded.

We set up an assembly line making our own explosives. I don't even remember when we learned how to make them but it's come in handy a few times on hunts and it looked like this was going to be no exception. Our work was interrupted when Dr. Lee walked into the room.

"It's been over four hours," Dr. Lee said, "Duane's blood is still clean. I don't think he's infected. I'd like to untie him, if that's all right."

"Sure, yeah," Sam nodded before looking at Dean once the doctor left he asked "You know I'm gonna ask you why."

"Yeah, I know," Dean grumbled..

"So, why?" Sam asked. "Why didn't you do it?"

"We need more alcohol," Dean said.

Sam got up and walked into the dispensary to get more alcohol. Dean and I were busy making more while waiting for Sam when suddenly the door shut and locked. Pamela had walked in there a few moments ago. Suddenly we heard screaming, Dean grabbed his gun as he and I kicked the door open. Dean shot Pamela several times, before she crumbled to the floor, dead. Dean moved to help Sam to his feet when Sarge stopped him.

"She bled on him," Sarge noted. "He's got the virus."

Dean and I stared at Sam shocked. Dean moved quickly helping Sam up before leading him straight to an examination table. The doctor bandaged his chest as we all looked on.

"Doctor, check his wound again, would you?" Dean asked when she didn't move he growled, "Doctor!"

"What does she need to examine him for?" Sarge demanded. "You saw what happened!"

"Did her blood actually enter your wound?" Dr. Lee asked.

"Come on, of course it did!" Sarge yelled.

"We don't know that for sure!" Dean retorted.

"We can't take a chance!" Duane shouted.

"Who asked you?" I retorted.

"You know what we have to do," Sarge calmly.

"Nobody's shooting my brother," Dean hissed.

"You were gonna shot me!" Duane yelled.

"You shut your pie hole!" Dean barked. "I still might!"

"Dean, they're right," Sam muttered. "I'm infected. Give me the gun and I'll do it myself."

"Forget it," Dean responded.

"Dean, I'm not gonna become one of those things."

"Sam, we've still got some time," I said.

"Time for what?" Sarge growled. "Look, I understand he's your brother, and I'm sorry. I am." He aimed the gun at Sam, "but I gotta take care of this."

"I'm gonna say this one time," Dean hissed. "You make a move on him, you'll be dead before you hit the ground, you understand me? Do I make myself _clear_?!"

"Dean!" Sam scolded.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Sarge groaned.

"Get the hell outta here, that's what," Dean snapped. "Take my care. You've got the explosives, there's an arsenal in there." He turned to look at Aiden and I, "You two go with them. You've got enough firepower to handle anything now."

"What about you?" Sarge asked.

"We're not going anywhere," I stated.

"We're staying here," Aiden said.

"Guys, no," Sam protested. "Go with them. This is your only chance."

"You're not gonna get ride of us that easily," Dean said.

"He's right, man," Sarge persuaded. "Come with us!"

"We're not going anywhere," I hissed.

"Okay, here's your funeral," Sarge shrugged.

"I'm sorry," Dr. Lee said. "Thanks for everything, Marshalls."

"Oh, actually, we're really not Marshalls," Dean shrugged before ushering them out of the door. He locked it behind her. "I wish we had a deck of cards or a foosball table or something."

"Guys, don't do this," Sam pleaded. "Save yourselves. Just get the hell out of here."

"No way," Dean retorted.

"Give me my gun and leave," Sam whispered his vice beginning to break.

"For the last time, Sam, no," Dean stated firmly. Sam slammed his hand down hard on the table, tears streaming down his face.

"This is the dumbest thing you've ever done," Sam fumed.

"I don't know about that," Dean said.

Sam and Dean continued to talk and argue but I couldn't hear a word. Everything was messed up and I figured it couldn't get any worse. Just as I was resigning myself to die with my brother's someone began knocking on the door. Dean walked over and opened it slowly.

"You better come see this," Dr. Lee said.

We all got up and walked out of the clinic to see the entire town deserted.

"There's no one," Dr. Lee whispered. "Not anywhere. They've all just vanished."

"What the fuck," I groaned.

We all walked back into the clinic and a few hours later the doctor was looking at Sam's blood under the microscope.

"It's been five hours and your blood is still clean," Dr. Lee said. "I don't understand it, but I think you dodged a bullet."

"But I was exposed," Sam whispered. "How can I not be infected?"

"You're just not," Dr. Lee shrugged. "I mean, when you compare it with the Tanner samples. What the hell?"

"What?" I asked.

"Their blood," Dr. Lee gaped. "There's no trace of the virus. No sulfur, or anything."

Seeing no other reason to stay we began to load back up the impala. After clearing it one more time that Sam was in fact all right the doctor went back inside. I noticed that Dean was staring at Sam.

"Hey, man, don't look at me," Sam shrugged. "I have no clue."

"I swear, I'm gonna lose sleep over this one," Dean complained. "I mean, why here? Why now? Where the hell did everybody go? It's not like they freaking melted."

"Why was I immune?" Sam wondered.

"Yeah, you know what, that's a good question. You know, I'm already starting to feel like this is the one that got away."

"Let's just get the hell out of here," I suggested.

We all nodded and climbed into the impala. Dean floored it out of River Grove and I knew instantly that this was one town that we were going to avoid for the rest of our lives. How the hell did an entire town of people just vanish? Maybe a demon really was behind all of this but that didn't bring any comfort. I noticed that Dean had pulled over to the side of the road where there was a fence and a lake. Dean, Sam, and Aiden got out of the car taking the six pack of beer with them.

"So…last night. You wanna tell me what the hell you were talking about?" Sam asked Dean and I looked at him suddenly intrigued what had I missed when I had zoned out?

"What do you mean?" Dean asked

"What do I mean?" Sam gaped, "I mean, you said you were tired of the job. And that it wasn't just because of Dad."

"Forget it," Dean replied.

"No, I can't," Sam protested. "No way."

"Come on, man, I thought we were all gonna die. You can't hold that over me," Dean grumbled.

"No, no, no," Sam snapped, "you can't pull that crap with me, man. You're talking."

"And what if I don't?" Dean challenged.

"Then I guess I'll just have to keep asking until you do," Sam shrugged.

Dean paused for a long beat before saying, "I don't know, man. I just think maybe we oughta…go to the Grand Canyon."

"What?" Aiden asked.

"Yeah, you know, all this driving back and forth, cross-country. You know I've never been to the Grand Canyon? Or we could go to T.J. or Hollywood, see if we can bang Lindsay Lohan," Dean suggested.

"No, thank you," I grimaced.

"You're not making any sense," Sam said.

"I'm saying we should take a break from all this," Dean stated, "why do we gotta get stuck with all the responsibility, you know? Why can't we live life a little bit?"

"Why are you saying all this? " Sam wondered as Dean took a sip of his beer and began to walk away from us we followed after him Sam continuing to speak, ,"no, no, no. Dean, you're my brother, all right? So, whatever weight you're carrying…let me help a little bit."

"I can't," Dean groaned, "I promised."

"Who?" I asked.

"Dad," Dean said.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

"Right before Dad died…he told me something," Dean explained before looking at both Sam and I, "he told me something about both of you."

"What?" I growled the same time as Sam said, "Dean, what did he tell you?"


	20. Who Am I Fooling?

**Chapter Twenty: Who Am I Fooling?**

"_Truth is absolute, believe that. Even when the truth is hard and cold, and more painful than you've ever imagined. And even when that truth is crueler than any lie."_

I didn't like the way that Dean wasn't looking at us and how tense he looked. His fists were clenched and his eyes were flashing, as if he were fighting with himself. Dad had made him promise and that always meant the world to Dean and now he was going to break it.

"Dean?" I whispered.

"He said that he," Dean swallowed looking at Sam and I, "That he wanted me to watch out for you. Take care of all of you."

"He told you that a million times," Sam whispered.

"No, this time it was different," Dean said. "He told me to watch out for you guys but he said that I had to…save you and Hails."

"Save us from what?" I asked.

"He just said that I had to save you," Dean sighed. "That nothing else mattered. And if I couldn't, I'd…"

"You'd what, Dean?" Sam demanded.

"I'd have to kill you. The both of you," Dean answered his voice unsure. Sam and I exchanged glances before looking back at Dean confused, "He said that I might have to kill you, Sammy. And you too, Hails."

"Kill me?" Sam hissed his eyes welling up with tears as I still processed what Dean had said. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know," Dean groaned.

"I mean, he must've had some kind of reason for saying it, right?" Sam snapped. "Did he know the demon's plans for us? Are we supposed to go dark-side or something?! What else did he say, Dean."

"Sam," I whispered.

"Shut up, Hailey!" Sam shouted. "What else did he say, Dean?"

"Nothing," Dean replied. "That's it, I swear."

"How could you not have told us this?!" Sam raged pulling me closer to him.

"Because he was dead and he begged me not to," Dean stated firmly.

"Who cares?" Sam growled. "Take some responsibility for yourself, Dean!"

"You shouldn't have kept this from us," I whispered.

But what I said was overlooked as Dean and Sam faced off. I yanked myself out of Sam's bruising grip and moving over to Aiden who threw an arm over my shoulder. I could tell that he couldn't believe what was happening either. Hell, I didn't know how to feel but it wasn't the anger that Sam obviously was. I had to get out of here that I realized and quickly so.

"You think I wanted this?" Dean retorted fiercely, "Huh? I wish to God he'd never opened his mouth! And I wouldn't have to walk around with this screaming in my head all day!"

"We've gotta figure out what's going on then, what the hell all this means," Sam sighed after a pause. This voice slightly more subdued then it had been previously.

"We do?" Dean responded. "I've been thinking about this, I think we should just lay low, you know? At least for a while, it'd be safer. And that way, I can make sure…

And that was when my emotions switched. Sam had backed down but I heard something else in Dean's voice. The way he reacted whenever I used my abilities or Sam mentioned his. The slight wince whenever it happened. The way he referred to it as psychic crap and ESP shit. It wasn't fair, he didn't want Dad telling him that he might have kill us but it wasn't like we went to Azazel saying that we wanted to be 'chosen' either.

"That what?" I snapped. "That Sam and I don't turn evil? That we don't turn into some sort of killers."

"I never said that," Dean said.

"Jeez, if you're not careful, you will have to waste us one day, Dean," I snarled.

"I never said that!" Dean shouted. "Damn it, you guys, this whole thing is spinning out of control! Sam, you're immune to some weirdo demon virus, and I don't even know what the hell anymore. And you both are pissed at me, and I et it. That's fine, I deserve it. But we lay low until we figure out our next move, okay?"

Little did Dean know, I was already figuring out my next move and it in no way involved us staying together. Hell, if I knew Sam half as well as I thought I did, he'd be considering doing the same thing.

"Forget it," Sam shook his head.

"Sam, please, man," Dean pleaded grabbing Sam's shoulder, "Hey, please, just give me some time. Give me some time to think, okay, I'm begging you here, please. Please."

When Sam nodded, Dean turned to me and I nodded crossing my arms across my chest. I sighed and waited for whatever came next. All I knew was that I wanted to get out of Oregon and fast. Sam, Aiden, and Dean seemed to be on the same wave length because we all walked back to the impala and drove until we saw the entering Idaho sign. We stopped at the first motel off the interstate after grabbing something to eat.

Ugh, the Velvet Inn Motel? Could that get any more disgusting. I rolled my eyes as Dean gave Aiden a key and then Sam a key. It looked as if we were going to go back to the old system and that was fine with me. Aiden was such a sound sleeper that I could watch TV on full volume and he'd have no problem to sleeping. I didn't know if that would change because of the coke and I pretended to go to sleep just like it was any other day. When I heard the telltale snores coming from Aiden's bed I slowly got out of bed and slipped back into my jeans and shoes before grabbing my clothing duffel bag. I then picked up the weapons and conciliated it in one duffel bag.

I crept quietly across the room and opened the door only enough for me to squeeze through before closing it quietly and carefully. I walked around the building to the apartment. I glanced at the impala not even considering jacking it because dean was going to be pissed enough that I left in the first place. It would be down right suicidal to steal the impala. I saw a dark figure breaking into the car next to the impala. I snuck up behind the figure and poked him in shoulder. The person jumped and spun around.

"Hi Sam," I grinned.

"Hailey, go back inside," Sam ordered.

"Oh, really?" I raised an eyebrow. "I'll just do that then, maybe say goodnight to Dean first ask him where you're going…"

"You wouldn't dare," Sam glared.

"Look, Sam, I'm not goin to be your little hanger on," I explained. "Bring me to the roadhouse and we can go our separate ways. Deal?"

"Get in the car," Sam huffed.

"Smart boy," I smirked.

**Aiden's Point of View**

Something was wrong. I knew that instantly even before my eyes opened. I didn't get to stay in bed too long because a sudden flurry of knocks nearly slammed the door off it's hinges. I got up and opened the door surprised to see Dean looking completely frantic.

"Sam's gone," Dean growled.

I began to turn around saying, "I'll wake up…" And Hailey's bed was empty. "Hailey." I finished softly. I shot a small glance back at Dean who looked even more angry than he had when come in here.

"They're probably together," Dean said.

"We wouldn't know," I said. "She left her phone here."

"What a coincidence," Dean hissed. "So, did Sammy. Move you're ass we're leaving. Now."

Dean stormed back to his room to grab his duffel bag. I picked up my two along with the one that Hailey had seemingly ditched. I should've realized that Hailey was gonna book, I mean that's what she did. But, I thought after the last time she really was done with the whole running thing. Sam was a runner too it was something that they both shared. But you would think after everything that had happened they'd just stay with us and let us work it out together.

"Aiden!" Dean shouted. _"Move!"_

Mostly though Sam and Hailey owed me so badly because now I was stuck with a very angry Dean. And who knows where they were and if they'd stick together. All I wanted to know was why would they leave? It was dangerous not for nothing the demon was both gunning for them not us.

**Sam's Point of View**

The ride to the roadhouse was silent, each of us were lost in our own thoughts. And by the time I had finally gotten to the roadhouse, Hails was getting antsy. We both got out of the car, knowing that Ellen would ditch it for us. I looked at Hailey who wasn't making any moves to go into the Roadhouse.

"Can you get Jo to come out here?" Hailey asked.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Hails, just be careful."

"You too, Sammy," Hailey responded.

I watched as my sister walked behind the roadhouse heading out to the shed in the back. I ambled into the Roadhouse and made a beeline to Ellen after nodding to Jo. She looked confused and I pointed out the door. She quickly walked outside and I knew she had gotten it.

"Sam," Ellen greeted looking surprisingly stern.

"Hey, Ellen," I grinned. "You don't seem that surprised to see me."

"Dean's been calling, worried sick, looking for you," Ellen snapped. "And Hailey."

"Yeah," I rubbed the back of my neck, "I figured as much."

"Sam, where's your sister?" Ellen asked.

"I don't know," I responded quickly.

"What's going on between you and your brother?" Ellen questioned.

I shrugged and looked at the ground after a painful beat passed I looked up, "Is Ash here?"

"Yeah, baby," Ellen sighed. "I'll get Ash."

"Thank you, Ellen," I whispered.

After a few moments Ash came out of the backroom holding his computer under his arm. We sat side by side on the bar.

"What am I looking for, Sam?" Ash asked.

"Other people," I said. "Other psychics, like me, as many as possible, and I need a nationwide search."

"So, Hailey was telling Jo the truth," Ellen stated.

"Yeah," I grimaced. "I figured that Hailey would tell you."

"Well, she wouldn't have if Trevor hadn't convinced her that it was for the best," Ellen said. "She also said that there wasn't a way to track them down. Not all of them had nursery fires like you did."

"I didn't have a fire in my nursery," I mumbled. "That was Hailey. But some had too."

"I'll see what I can find," Ash said.

"Thank you, so much," I whispered.

Ash clapped me on the back as Ellen brought me a bottle of water. She stayed with me until Ash came back.

"When did you find out?" I asked.

"She told me and Ash a few days before you guys came from that circus of hunt," Ellen said.

As it would turn out I was right there were some people who had nursery fires in '83. There were three names that came up in Ash's search they were, Max Miller, Andrew Gallagher, and Scott Carey, all of whom were dead.

"I know where Scott Carey is," Ash said sensing my look of disappointment, "The have no family members, as in the entire family is dead. But Scott has a father."

"Where?" I asked.

"Lafayette, Indiana," Ash said.

"Thanks, Ash," I sighed. I got to my feet moving towards the door but Ellen's voice stopped me.

"Where are you going?" Ellen asked.

"Indiana," I replied.

"Sam?" Ellen sighed. "I've gotta call Dean. I've gotta let him know where you are."

"Ellen, I'm trying to find answers about who I am," I explained. "And my brother means well, but he can't protect me from that. Please."

Ellen sighed but slowly nodded. I took that as my cue nodding to Ash and smiling a small smile at Ellen. I wondered if we were all special children who three had burnt out so quickly. There were others of course, there had to be.

**Hailey's Point of View**

I heard the crunch of gravel behind me and knew that it was Jo. She moved quickly and then we were side by side.

"Hey, Hails," Jo said.

"Hey," I smiled.

"Dean hasn't stopped calling in over two hours," Jo said.

"Yeah," I grimaced.

"Is this about all that psychic stuff?" Jo questioned.

"Apparently my Dad said that Dean might have to kill Sam and I," I said.

"You're kidding," Jo gaped.

"Would I be out here without my brothers if I wasn't?" I responded. "Is my bike still here?"

"You mean the motorcycle?" Jo said. "Of course, no one knows it's here."

"Thanks Jo," I grinned.

"Just be careful, Hails," Jo said. "I'd rather not have to explain to Dean how we let both of you come in here and leave only to come back injured."

"Don't worry," I said.

I hugged Jo goodbye as she began to walk back towards the roadhouse. I dropped my duffel back on the ground and walked into the shed. I stood onto of a few boxes and grabbed the box that was on top of the shelving unit. I pulled out a pair of black leather pants and put them on. They laced in the front and I tied them tightly. I then shrugged on my leather jacket that had two vertical pockets on either side. I put the jacket over a white eyelet dress that I rolled into a top. I snatched my helmet and put it over my head as I wheeled the Ducati Streetfighter bike out of the shed and grinned at it. It was nearly four thousand dollars and had taken nearly four years to save up. Jo had willingly let me store it here.

The thing was not only a Ducati but it was custom painted a nice midnight blue color. This thing was my baby just like the impala was Dean's. I put my arms through my duffel bag's loop and straddled the bike.

I had made a pact with myself years ago that the only time that I would be in a car was with a family member present especially if I was going to be traveling a while. It just wouldn't be right if Dean wasn't driving or Dad. I'd be in the car with friends or cousins if we were just going into town or something but when I was hunting, I was either with my brothers or I was going to be riding this bike. And it wasn't so much with all my brothers, I mean I loved Sam and Aiden, really I did. But when they left I realized that the only person who would always be a constant in my life was Dean and if Dean wasn't driving or in the car than it just didn't feel right.

I hadn't driven this bike since I got it four years ago. But I had ridden some bikes before and I loved the feel of the engine and it also shaved hours off travel times because I could weave in between cars. I knew exactly where I was going. Dean would expect me to go to Tasha because that's where I always went so I decided it was time for a change of pace and decided to go to Ipswich, Massachusetts.

It was going to take a while to get there but I knew that I could make it in a day and a half at least. I just had to keep moving and floor it whenever I could and I did. I realized that it was a good idea to leave my phone because Dean and Aiden would be calling the thing off the hook not to mention they could trace it so that I would have no chance to be by myself figure some things out. After all it isn't every day where you find out that your oldest brother, your hero might have to kill you.

By the time I got to Ipswich it was a day and a half later at nearly one in the afternoon. It was a Friday but I knew everyone would still be in class. I was currently in the parking lot parking next to my cousin's friend's motorcycle. I got off the bike walking towards the school. I snuck inside and wandered the hallway until the bell rang. I don't remember the last time I had visited. The bell rang overheard and leaned against a locker waiting until I saw someone familiar. And just when I thought that they had changed the Upperclassmen classrooms, I saw a familiar head a platinum blonde hair. It took him a second to spot me but when he did, his jaw dropped.

"Hails?" Reid Garwin gaped.

"Hey, Reid," I smirked.

We were walking towards each other until Reid grabbed me into his arms pulling me off my feet. When he set me back down he looked slightly more serious.

"Come on," Reid beckoned, "I just had my last class, we can head back to the dorms."

"Alright," I smiled.

He grabbed my duffel bag from where I had dumped it on the floor and threw an arm over my shoulder. Reid and I didn't see each other half as much as we use to. There had been couple of times where both Dean and Dad had debated sending me here to keep me out of harms way but it was quickly decided that I was better off with them. Of course, judging by the state of Reid's room he hadn't changed at all. There were clothing all over Reid's side of the room, making his roommate's side look incredibly neat.

"Still rooming with Tyler?" I asked.

"Yup," Reid answered plopping down on his bed. "Baby boy still has another class but he'll be coming back soon."

"Oh, okay," I replied sitting down on his desk chair.

"What's with the outfit?" Reid asked.

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"Last time I checked Dean didn't let his sister wear anything that tight or made of leather," Reid scoffed. "Which leads me to assume that he's not here, and the brings up my next question: Where are your brothers and how'd you get here?"

"My brothers are on a hunt nearby," I said effortlessly. "And they dropped me off."

"Without saying 'hello'?" Reid scoffed.

"They didn't know if you'd be in class," I shrugged.

"Didn't stop you," Reid mentioned.

"I haven't really been hunting first string," I said.

"I see," Reid nodded.

"Enjoying your senior year?" I questioned.

"Yeah," Reid nodded. "And it's almost over too. Two more months."

Suddenly the door flew open with Tyler talking before he was even fully in the door, "Dude, there's apparently this motorcycle chick that just showed up in school dressed nearly entirely in leather. I overheard Aaron telling Bordy that she was…" He trailed off when he caught sight of me blushing bright red.

Tyler Simms had dark, spiky brown hair and dark blue eyes. He was nearly the same height as Reid but was the youngest in birth order, which was how he got the nickname of Baby boy. Tyler had been Reid's best friend for as long as I could remember. Sure, the four boys were close but it was always Reid and Tyler and Pogue and Caleb. Caleb and Pogue were the older two in the Covenant and were both around six foot one or so. Caleb had short brown hair and bright hazel eyes while Pogue's hair was light brown and long and he too had brown eyes.

"Hey, Tyler," I smiled.

"I should've known," Tyler grinned. "If anyone knows how to make an entrance it would be you."

I smiled and shook my head as I got up and hugged Tyler. After we hugged he moved fully into the room, shutting the door and dumping his backpack by his desk. He too sat on his bed as he looked at me.

"So, what have you been up to?" Tyler asked.

"It's just been a hellish couple of months," I sighed.

"I've heard," Tyler said. "I'm sorry."

"S'okay," I grinned. "I mean it's getting easier every day."

Tyler nodded, I mean he couldn't really say anything. Sure we had some similar experiences but it we also had different lives. They came from money and I, well, didn't. But, Reid never failed to spread the wealth whenever he could at least if he considered you family. I don't know how long we sat together just talking until Reid glanced at the time.

"You up for Nicky's, baby girl?" Reid asked me.

"Of course," I smirked.

"Let's go," Reid said.

I stood up and shrugged off my leather jacket. I then unrolled my dress and slipped out of my leather pants and boots. I put on some simple high heels and smiled at Reid and Tyler who were looking bemused. They had both changed out of the Spenser uniforms and were just waiting on me.

"Come prepared, Hails?" Reid asked.

"More like up for anything," I smirked.

Reid rolled his eyes as I weaved my hand through my hair making it so that it fell around my shoulders. I followed Reid and Tyler out of the door and straight to a black hummer. I glanced over and saw that my motorcycle was still in pristine condition. I climbed into the back of the hummer Nicky's was a pub that was teenager friendly. It was the place to be in Ipswich and the Sons of Ipswich frequently hung out there. At least that's what they were called because they descended from the founders of the Ipswich colonies. The families had been inseparable for years and they were great guys.

I could feel the envious eyes on me as I entered the room with Reid and Tyler. I shook my head and rolled my eyes as girls just glared at me like I was stealing what they were entitled to. I spotted Pogue and Caleb by the foosball tables and walked over to them. Pogue saw me first and broke out into a huge grin closing the distance and tossing me up into the air before hugging me tightly.

"Hey, Pogo," I smiled.

"Hailey," Pogue laughed before whispering in my ear, "is the motorcycle that was next to mine yours?"

"Yup," I said. "Took me four years to save up for it."

"You've got good taste, Hails," Pogue praised.

"Hailey Winchester, is that you?" A deep voice asked.

"Caleb Danvers," I smirked.

Caleb looked me up and down before opening his arms. I walked into them and he hugged me closely. I followed them back to the foosball table and just took in the ambiance that was around me. It felt weird being here all alone but I knew that it was for the best. I needed a break from everything and everyone. It just figured that dean and Aiden both would be making their ranks through anyone I could have ran to because suddenly Reid pulled out his phone and after a few seconds hung up the phone before he looked for me. When he found me furious blue eyes pined me to where I was standing.

"Shit," I mumbled.

It only took a second for Reid to close the distance between us. He grabbed my arm harshly and pulled me bodily out of Nicky's ignoring Caleb and Pogue's protests. Reid didn't stop in his movements until we were in the parking lot.

"Got anything you want to tell me, Hailey?" Reid growled.

"Who called?" I sighed.

"Dean," Reid answered. "And he's worried sick."

"Reid, you don't understand…" I tried to explain.

"I don't understand why you lied to me," Reid interrupted, "I don't know why you left Dean and Aiden in Idaho without any word that you were leaving."

"He wanted time to think he has it," I threw my hands into the air. "I needed time too."

"You left, Hails," Reid snapped. "And you lied to me. Dean's in Indiana tracking Sammy down first."

"You told him where I was," I whispered.

"Yeah, I did," Reid said. "You can't just run. He told me what happened and everything."

"He said he might have to kill me!" I shouted. "And he's the one who needs to fucking think? He hates anything remotely supernatural, Reid and that includes you and me!"

"Hailey," Reid sighed.

"It's not his fault" I said. "It's Dad's but still you should see the way he looks at me whenever I push something without touching it."

"He doesn't know how to react," Reid defended.

"No, it disgusts him," I snarled.

"Then you two will have a lot more to work out than all of this," Reid gestured around in a circle. "Even though you might wanna hold that conversation because he's _pissed_."

"Terrific," I sniped. "He might have to kill me but he's the one that's pissed!"

"Hails, he tells you to lay low and both you and Sam run off the first chance ya get?" Reid questions.

"Don't," I warned. "Just don't."

"Dean said that they'd be a few days in Indiana and that I'm not to let you out of my sight," Reid said.

"Don't bother," I retorted. "I'm gone."

"Like hell you are, Hails," Reid snapped. "There's some big bad demon after you sand you think I'm just going to let you leave by yourself?"

"I'm fine," I said.

"Really?" Reid demanded.

"What do you want from me, Reid?" I groaned. "I just want to be left alone, have some space to think for a bit but apparently that's too much to ask."

"You didn't even ask," Reid retorted.

"Because of course Dean would say yes!" I growled.

"Just because someone will most likely say no doesn't mean you can't ask," Reid said.

"Whatever," I grumbled. "You going to take me back to the dorms? I wanna crash."

"When was the last time you got any sleep," Reid asked taking hold of my arm again.

"A day ago?" I answered.

Reid sighed and shook his head before I noticed that his eyes were going black. I tried to stop him because he had already ascended and it was stupid to use just get us back but he didn't listen to me and the next time I opened my eyes I was in Tyler and Reid's dorm room.

"You're a fucking hypocrite," I snapped.

"Quit your bitching and get to sleep," Reid retorted. "And don't even think about bailing, Hails."

"And if I did?" I challenged.

"Than I really wouldn't want to be you when Dean finally catches up," Reid shrugged. "By the way, he wants to talk to you."

"No thank you," I replied.

"Wasn't negotiable," Reid said. He dialed a number and then handed it to me.

"Winchester," Dean answered sharply. I could hear the impala's engine and knew that he was probably still on his way to Indiana. Why Sam went there was beyond me but it didn't really matter.

"Hi, Dean," I replied.

"_Hailey_," Dean growled.

I flinched and gulped at the tone Dean had used. I could see his look even without him being here. It was one of barely suppressed fury the glint of his emerald eyes had to be completely frigid to match his tone. It was also the tone of voice that Dean got whenever one of us had found a whole new level of trouble. Dean was going to murder me.

"You have to understand," I pleaded.

"Understand?" Dean repeated before barking. "Understand? Hailey, I told you both that we all needed to lay low until we figure this out and you both bail that very night?"

"There's nothing to figure out, Dean," I snapped before realizing that this probably wasn't the best time to get an attitude, "Sam and I are just psychic. You're not going to have to waste us but right now we both need our space and you should respect that."

"Respect?" Dean scoffed. "You really wanna go there, Hailey Jade? Why should I show you guys any respect if you don't even have the decency to tell me that you need your space. Instead you both run the moment my back is turned? It's the same shit over and over and I swear to god, this will be the last time you even dream of running. Do you understand me?"

Fuck, just fuck. Like this conversation couldn't get any worse. What part of me even thought that this would all be okay? That Dean would understand that we needed our space. That this whole thing was one giant clusterfuck that I needed to make sense out of before my goddamn head exploded.

"I said," Dean growled his voice getting even more dangerous that part of me thought that he could just reach through the phone and throttle me. It took a talented person to intimidate me via phone. Then again, Dean could be the epitome of intimidation when we was encouraged, "Do. You. Understand. Me? And just to clear things up here, Hailey, there's only one acceptable answer here."

"Yes, sir," I mumbled.

"You better not give Reid any trouble," Dean ordered sternly, "because if I even hear of you giving him an ounce of trouble…"

"I won't," I responded.

"And you better not even think of leaving Ipswich," Dean spat. "If you even step foot off of Spenser's grounds, what happened in Salvation is gonna look like a cakewalk."

"I'm eighteen years old," I protested.

"You're right, Hailey Jade," Dean snarled. "You're eighteen years old so maybe you can think about every year that should've learned that running is _never_ an acceptable way to deal with your problems. And you know I thought we had finally stopped with this crap. I didn't even do anything the last time you decided to run but you best believe that this will never happen again."

"Yes, sir," I whispered.

"I'll see you in a few days," Dean said sounding a lot calmer.

"I love you, Dean," I replied.

"You too, Hails," Dean huffed.

Well, one thing was certain. I was completely screwed.


	21. Natural Disaster

**Chapter Twenty-One: Natural Disaster**

"_Truth...lies. Loyalty...betrayal...Right...wrong. When the line is drawn where will you stand?"_

I was screwed and I knew that for certain. There was no way that I could swing this into something that Dean wouldn't get irritated with. I sighed as I slid into Reid's bed because he wouldn't let me sleep on the floor. Instead, Reid decided to set up an airbed right in front of the door, making sure that I wouldn't be able to leave unless I was feeling like plummeting five stories to the ground.

But, I wasn't leaving because Dean was already pissed and I had enough self preservation to realize when my luck was already so pressed. When Tyler's alarm clock rang the next morning, Reid and I groaned in stereo. I was laying his bed as he and Tyler were getting ready.

"What are you waiting for?" Reid asked me.

"What do you mean?" I replied.

"I can't miss class so you're coming with," Reid said.

"I don't have a uniform, genius," I rolled my eyes.

"Pogue's girlfriend dropped this by for you a few minutes ago," Reid said throwing me a bundle of clothing. "You guys are nearly the same size."

"Wonderful," I sighed.

I got out of bed and walked into their little bathroom area. It only had a sink and a mirror. I closed the door and slipped into the plaid green skirt, white oxford shift, sweater vest, and blazer. I put on the white knee high socks. When I came out of the bathroom both boys were once again waiting for me.

"I'm supposed to go to class with you?" I asked. "I don't have any books."

"You're my cousin who is looking to transfer schools," Reid responded. "Come on, before we're late for first period."

"Wouldn't want that," I rolled my eyes.

I followed after Reid and Tyler straight into the academic buildings. I walked forward following them right into a classroom where Caleb and Pogue were also in the class. Reid and Tyler went to the seats directly behind them and I sat in between them.

"What class is this?" I whispered.

"English lit," Tyler replied as Caleb and Pogue nodded.

There was a girl with mocha skin and dark brown hair was dangling off of Pogue's arm.

"Hi, I'm Kate," The girl introduced. "Reid was right we are the same size."

"Yes he was," I smiled. "I'm Hailey."

"Are you staying long?" Kate asked.

"Nope," I shook my head. "Just visiting."

"All right, let's get started!" A severe looking woman snapped storming into the classroom and closing the door behind her. She tossed her briefcase on her desk as she looked around.

"Professor Watson," Reid filled in quietly. "She's one of the toughest professors here."

I nodded watching as a women who couldn't be more than five feet tall but her presence had everyone in the room quiet and listening to her as compared to a few moments ago where the noise alone could be heard all the way down the hall.

"Okay, everyone get out your homework," Watson ordered. "Where's your homework, Garwin?"

"I don't have it," Reid shrugged. "I could find anyone to copy it from."

A few people began to laugh as Tyler shook his head, Pogue sighed, and Caleb glared back at Reid.

"How unfortunate," Watson smirked. "Detention. One week after school my office."

"Yes ma'am," Reid nodded before telling me, "We've got an understanding."

"I can see that," I laughed.

Watson turned back and began to talk about the next assignment concerning _The Age of Innocence_. I sighed and slumped in my seat realizing and quickly so why I had dropped out of school in the first place. It was just so boring and I couldn't focus on what Watson was saying.

"Hails, this class is over," Reid whispered.

"Can I go to the library?" I asked.

"I'm not supposed to let you out of my sight," Reid frowned.

"Reid, please?" I pleaded. "I just need some time alone to think. I'm not going to go anywhere. I'm not suicidal."

"Alright," Reid sighed. "Meet me in the cafeteria for lunch at 11:30, got it?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

I walked into the library and straight back to one of the tables. It had a thin layer of dust so I knew that people hadn't been this far back in a while. I sat down and just stared off into space. I had placed a book in front of me so that it would look like I would be working. I rested my chin in my hands and sighed.

Nothing was going the way it was supposed to do. Sure, I need that Dean would be beyond pissed. I hadn't left a note and I ditched my phone so that they couldn't trace it that would not go over well. I had broken two huge rules in the Winchester handbook, maybe three. I had ditched my phone and that's one rule broken. I had lied, that was a major rule I broke. And I had broken a near direct order to lay low, knowing full well that Dean meant laying low together. And, going off of the last rule broken, Dean could and most likely would argue that by running off I had put myself in danger because I was just a defenseless little girl. I huffed and rolled my eyes, sometimes having over protective brothers could be a blessing but more often than not it was a curse. Dean, Sam, and Aiden often forgot that I had the same training that they had. And, now, not only could I fight and win I had a little telekinetic push if things go sideways.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

My head snapped up and my eyes widened as I quickly looked around the library. If one was here more was sure to follow and they'd be sure to corner me.

"Relax, Hay, it's only me," Aiden soothed. Somehow that didn't make me feel any better.

"Dean let you come up here by yourself?" I asked.

"He wanted to track down Sam by himself," Aiden explained. "And he figured that someone else should watch you."

"Because having Reid and his friends monitoring my every move isn't enough?" I snapped.

"Word of advice, I'd drop the attitude before Dean gets here," Aiden replied.

"Whatever," I retorted, making a move to get up.

"Sit down," Aiden ordered.

I dropped down onto my seat and glared at Aiden who returned my gaze unfazed. It hadn't been three minutes and already I was being ordered around.

"What's on your mind, Hay," Aiden questioned again.

"I don't wanna talk about it, Aiden," I muttered.

"Once again that won't work when Dean gets here," Aiden said.

"Aiden," I groaned.

"You don't understand right now," Aiden snapped. His face morphing from the cool mask that he had been wearing when he first walked into the library to one of fury. "Dean _begged_ you guys to stay put and than you wait until the second that both of us fall asleep and you book without even letting us know that you are okay."

I opened my mouth to retort or to state that Sam had done the exact same thing when Aiden cut me off with a vicious look that had me recoiling in my seat. I had seen that look thrown at a bully or two but never had it been directed at myself.

"You leave without your cell phone," Aiden growled. "You leave half of your weapons behind. There's no note telling us where you could possibly be going. We had no idea where the _fuck_ you were, Hailey, not until Dean called the right person. Reid had no idea that you ran off. He thought we were working a job nearby or at least that's what you told him. And what if Dean hadn't thought to call Reid? Or run through your entire fucking contact list so that everyone was searching for your ass? You could've been hurt or killed or both and we wouldn't have known!"

"I'm sorry," I whispered softly.

"Sorry?" Aiden barked. "Oh, you're _sorry_. That's nice, Hailey because 'sorry' definitely makes up for the three days we spent looking for your ass. Three whole days of not knowing if you were okay or alive, do you have any idea what that was like? Dean was going out of his mind with worry and I wasn't that far behind him. You don't do shit like this, Hailey. Not with this life."

"I didn't do this to make Dean angry or to get in trouble," I groused.

"No, you did this without thinking and went off half-cocked," Aiden retorted. "You didn't think about the fact that the demon could've have snatched you because you made yourself a goddamn perfect target. You didn't think about how Dean or I would feel about this act of selfishness. What part in all of this were you even thinking at all?"

"It wasn't like that!" I snapped.

"Then what's it like, Hailey?" Aiden questioned. "Because obviously I'm not understanding why here."

"I needed to think about things," I said. "And you guys have been hovering like crazy."

"Hovering?!" Aiden shouted. "Hovering? You really want to go that route? Why do you think we've been hovering, Hailey? After everything that's happened with Dad and the demon you think we'd just let you be? You obviously don't get that this demon is nasty and is gunning right for you."

"He's gunning for Sam too, Aiden!" I yelled. "And, Sammy ran off too! I didn't do this by myself. And I'm not stupid this demon killed Mom and Dad, you think I haven't gotten how big this fucking thing is?"

"Well, Sammy's getting the bitching out of a century for his stunt," Aiden rolled his eyes. "What do you think is going to happen to you?"

"I don't know, Aiden," I sighed.

"How'd you even get here, Hay?"

"Motorcycle," I murmured.

"Motorcycle?" Aiden repeated, completely flabbergasted. "Where the fuck did you get a goddamn motorcycle from?"

"I bought it four years ago," I stated. "It's mine and I didn't steal it."

"Dean's going to kill you," Aiden sighed.

"Why?" I retorted. "Because I didn't steal a car?"

"Hailey, I can promise you in the event that you did steal a car, that would be the least of your problems."

"I'm sorry," I sighed. "I just needed to be alone. I was perfectly safe, Aiden. I'm not an idiot."

"The jury's still out on that one, Hailey," Aiden retorted.

"Go fuck yourself," I hissed.

This time I got up and walked out of the library ignoring Aiden's protests as I made my way to the cafeteria. I walked through the door and dropped down next to Tyler. He looked at me as I crossed my arms and slumped in my seat.

"Everything okay?" Tyler asked.

"Aiden's here," I glowered.

"Really?" Reid questioned

"Yeah," I grunted.

"So, Dean's not that fair behind him?" Reid asked.

"I don't know," I said.

I sat up straight and grabbed a few French fries off of Reid's plate. Reid growled at me before shoving a burger and fries at me. I nodded my thanks before biting into my burger. Caleb, Pogue, and Kate came in a few minutes later with a blonde girl following after Caleb. They each slipped into the four available chairs and began to eat. I couldn't stop looking at the blonde who I had never seen or heard about before. She had long blonde hair and dark blue eyes, her skin was pale and she seemed so disgustingly normal.

"Hi, I'm Sarah," The blonde introduced. "I'm Caleb's girlfriend."

"Really?" I smirked. "Well it's about time, Cale."

"Thanks, Hailey," Caleb huffed.

"Hailey Winchester?" Sarah asked.

"Guilty," I smiled. "I'm Reid's cousin."

"Nice to meet you," Sarah said.

We both smiled and went back to eating. I glanced around at the other people in the cafeteria or looking at the girl's. I was the nearly the only one who was eating a burger and fries. Every other girl was eating salad I rolled my eyes realizing exactly how annoying this school was. It was a boarding school for the upper class elite and it was a place where I'd never fit in.

Suddenly I heard the cafeteria doors slam open as heads whirled around see a tall boy with spiky mussed light brown hair, slightly tight dark blue jeans with a skull and cross bones wallet chain. The outfit was completed by work boots and a broken in leather jacket.

"Who is that?" Kate whispered.

"My brother," I sighed. Nearly every female eye was on him as he walked straight for me. He was smirking, a look that he had learned straight from Dean, because he knew without even looking at anyone that people thought he was attractive.

Just as he was about to reach me he turned to the side and looked at a frizzy red hair who in turn was staring at Aiden like he was a piece of meat. He smiled winking at her and she flushed, the boy next to her looked livid.

"Go fuck myself," Aiden whispered in a voice only I could hear as his hands seized my shoulders in a gesture that could've been mistaken as friendly but in reality was a little bit painful. "Nice, Hailey. Eloquent even."

"I learn from the best," I responded.

Aiden cuffed me upside the head and I growled at him as he turned his attention to Reid.

"How's it going, kid?" Aiden asked.

"Sam old, same old," Reid smirked. "How about you?"

"I've been better," Aiden shrugged. "It's been a crazy couple of months. Actually, can we talk alone?"

"Sure," Reid replied.

He got up and when Aiden's grip on my shoulder tightened signaling that I'd be involved in his conversation too. I followed after them as Reid led us to a completely deserted. They both turned to form a sort of triangle as we each looked at each other. Aiden dug into his pocket giving me my cell phone. I flushed and placed it in one of my socks, as this stupid skirt didn't have pockets.

"Nice get up, Hails," Aiden teased. "The school girl look almost suits you."

"Where are the others?" Reid asked.

"They're coming," Aiden replied. "I got a message that they're in Pennsylvania right now. They hit a little snag in Indiana."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Gordon Walker decided that he needed to kill Sam," Aiden said. "Kidnapped Dean to get to him."

"Why would Gordon want to kill Sam?" I growled.

"He was torturing a demon," Aiden explained. "And apparently the demon said that there's a war coming and psychic's like you and Sam are supposed to be fighting on hell's side. According to Gordon and some of his other friends you both are fair game."

"Are they okay?" I demanded.

"They're fine," Aiden soothed. "And Gordon's going to be in jail for quite a while."

"Jail?" I growled.

"Yeah, Hay, a jail," Aiden snarked. "What's wrong with that?"

"He wants me and Sam dead and they didn't take them out when they had the chance?" I snapped.

"They defended themselves," Aiden said. "That's all that Dad taught us to do defend ourselves."

"He'll get outta jail and then what?" I demanded.

"We'll deal with it when it presents itself, Hay," Aiden stated. "What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing," I fumed.

"You know you're going to have to think of one hell of an answer to save your ass when Dean finally shows up," Aiden retorted. "The evasive shit won't work."

"Whatever," I muttered.

"Reid your parents here?" Aiden asked.

"Naw, they're in the Bahamas," Reid shrugged. "On 'business'."

"Can we borrow your house?" Aiden questioned. "There are no motels around here."

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Reid smiled. "There's a spare key on the underside of the mailbox."

"Thanks, Reid," Aiden sighed. "And that's for watching her."

"It's not a problem, dude," Reid responded. "You guy's gonna head over?"

"I think so," Aiden said. "What do you think, Hay, had enough of school?"

"Definitely," I nodded. "Just let me say goodbye."

"Five minutes," Aiden acquiesced.

I rolled my eyes but nodded my head. I walked back into the cafeteria hugging Pogue, Tyler, and Caleb goodbye. I smiled at Sarah and Kate saying that I might see them before I left but I didn't know. I then walked back out into the hallway where Aiden and Reid were waiting. I hugged Reid before leading Aiden towards my motorcycle.

"How'd you even learn how to ride one of these things?" Aiden asked.

"One of the times Dean and I were recuperating at the roadhouse," I said. "Dean was so out of it on pain meds that he doesn't remember."

"Are you going to tell him about it?" Aiden asked.

"Not if I can help it," I replied. "Don't you think I've wracked up enough of a list?"

"I'd say," Aiden winced in sympathy.

I climbed on the bike with Aiden getting on behind me. I didn't have a spare helmet but Aiden refused to take mine. I kicked the kickstand back and floored the engine laughing as Aiden's arms wrapped around my middle tightly. I wheeled us back before flooring it out of Spenser's parking lot and going in the direction of Garwin manor.

The first thing I noticed when we finally got there was that it hadn't changed a bite. The place was still every bit of a fortress that it was when he had visited years ago. The entire property was protected with both spells and iron and little tricks that would keep anything remotely nasty out. The weirdest thing about the Garwin's property was that it recognized family members, meaning that if someone that was blood related stepped on the grounds the front gates automatically swung open.

I drove straight through hearing the pure iron gates slam close behind us as we continued to ride up the path to the main house. I parked near two cars were currently resting and just like Reid had said the spare key was under the mailbox. Aiden grabbed it and opened the door and I followed after him. This house was ridiculously huge. It was so huge that whenever we had crashed here in the past a wing to ourselves. It also felt like it hadn't been lived in for a while, which was probably the case with Reid being at school and Charlie off wherever she was.

"This house can be seriously creepy," Aiden muttered as he walked further into the house.

"It just feels abandoned," I replied.

"Yeah," Aiden agreed, "which makes it creepy. Anyway, I'm hungry. You okay with Pizza?"

"Yup," I nodded as we both dropped our duffel bags in the foyer.

"'M gonna order extra just incase Dean and Sam get here tonight," Aiden told me as he wandered off in search of a phone.

"They're going to be," I whispered.

When the pizza came, Aiden and I dug into one of the pies and saved the other one for Dean and Sam. The conversation was nearly non-existent until I decided to ask Aiden a few questions.

"How upset is Dean?" I asked setting down my second slice of pizza.

"He was really worried," Aiden said. "And he then he got pissed. He was scared for you."

"I think I'm gonna crash for a bit," I sighed.

I walked back towards the staircase and walked up to the room that was just for me. I fell onto the giant bed, blissful as it contoured around my body. I tried to enjoy it as much as I could because it wasn't going to stay nice and peaceful once the family was reunited.

**Dean's Point of View**

"_This isn't personal," Gordon stated firmly, "I'm a hunter and your brother and that little sister of yours? They're fair game."_

"_Why?" I hissed._

"_I caught a low-level demon down in Louisiana, and somewhere between the head-spinning the damn thing muttered something about a coming war. Now, it didn't meant to but it peaked my interest. So the demon tells me they have soldiers to fight in this coming war. Humans fighting on hells side, you believe that? I mean, they're psychics but so they aren't exactly pure human, but still what kind of worthless scumbag must be to turn against your own race. But, the biggest kick in the ass? The demon said I knew not one of them but two."_

Driving from Indiana to Massachusetts was proving to be the most irritating task of the day. Although, I guess I should be thankful that only one of my two flight risks nearly got themselves killed by a fucking psycho who decided that they were hunting worthy. I had told them, no begged them to stay low with us until we could figure things out, hope everything blows over, just a little bit. But, do they listen to me? No, because Sam and Hailey Winchester are nearly as bad as Dad when it came to being fucking stubborn.

I had sent Aiden on ahead so that he could talk to Hailey first. Mostly because I wanted to confront Sam by myself. That hadn't worked out so well when Gordon apparently stabbed the psychic kid that Sam wanted to find and was gunning after Sam himself. Well, Gordo is going to be reaching for the soap for a couple years at least, which makes him one less thing for me to worry about.

Part of me felt bad for Hailey. I mean she was not only the youngest but also the only girl and even though she never complained about it, I knew that it would bother her sometimes. She was just as bad as Sammy with the whole wanting to deal with all of our emotions thing. But, I could've sworn I had made it clear to her that running away was not an option, ever and especially not now. What if Gordon had went after Hailey instead of Sam? We didn't even know she was in Ipswich until I called Reid. She would've been alone and unprotected. A sitting duck. What they both did verged on suicidally reckless. And, while running from problems was both the Sam and Hailey Winchester patented style both Dad and I had broken them of it before they were even teenagers.

Then just as suddenly Sam and Aiden come back into hunting to look for Dad; Hailey decided that running was a good idea all over again. She had left a note and her reason was valid. A hell of a lot more valid than I-needed-time-to-think-and-decided-to-leave-half-my-weapons-and-my-cell-phone-behind.

"You okay there, Dean?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," I grunted.

"Really?" Sam prodded. "Because last I checked the impala didn't do anything to you."

"What are you talking about?" I growled.

Sam gestured to the steering wheel and I noticed for the first time how tight my grip was. I loosened it and aimed a you-happy look to Sam who rolled his eyes.

"I did the same thing, Dean," Sam said quietly.

"What's your point, Sammy?" I sighed.

"She was just doing what she thought was right," Sam shrugged.

"She thought this whole clusterfuck was right?" I retorted. "She lied Sam to Reid to me, she left without her phone, abandoned half her weapons, put herself in danger and at risk by running away as far as she did. And you think she thought that was she was doing was okay?"

"Dean," Sam huffed.

"No, Sam, tell me," I replied. "You remember Dad when you were eighteen. I mean before you left for school. Hell, I remember one hunt where you did like two things in the list that Hails has managed to wrack up. What did Dad do?"

I saw Sam squirm in the passenger seat as he flushed suddenly not having anything to say.

"Yeah, you got your ass beat," I responded ruthlessly, "And you're telling me that I shouldn't be angry at Hailey? That I should just cut her some slack? For what so that she could do this again?"

"Okay," Sam sighed. "I get it, okay?"

I nodded tightly noticing the sign for Ipswich, Massachusetts. We would be at Reid's house in five minutes top. But, Sam had one point, I shouldn't just be ready to fly off the hinges. It wouldn't help Hailey or me and I honestly wanted to know what she was thinking and she wouldn't tell me anything if I just barged in and started yelling at her. That was one thing Dad never understood. Someone could yell in Hailey's face for hours and she wouldn't give a shit. She might punch anyone who would be stupid enough to try but it wouldn't have any effect. Sometimes just explaining something was enough to get Hailey to follow.

I drove the impala through the Garwin's gated driveway and parked next to a dark blue motorcycle. My eyes narrowed as I walked past it, already knowing that it was how Hailey had gotten here. The thing that bothered me about motorcycles was how dangerous they could be on a drop of a dime. I didn't know why she didn't just steal a car, it wasn't like she didn't know how.

Sam opened the front door and led the way into the kitchen where a pizza box was waiting on the counter. I smiled and tapped Aiden on the shoulder who nodded in return. We were just standing around the pizza box when I heard the quiet tread of footsteps coming from the hallway. I turned and saw Hailey who looked really nervous. She seemed to be looking over both Sam and I for injuries of any kind, which led me to believe that Aiden had told her about the hold up in Indiana. I took the liberty in closing the distance between us when she was looking at Sam, clasping her shoulder tightly. She startled and looked up at me with big blue eyes before shooting glances for help.

"Hey, Sam, you wanna head out to that bar?" Aiden asked looking uncomfortable. "Reid will probably be there."

"That's a good idea," Sam said.

I rolled my eyes at their attempt to project that they had just come up with that plan. But it was probably better if they were out of the house for a while. It would give Hailey and I more than enough time to catch up.

"Take the car," I suggested tossing the impala's car keys to Aiden.

I saw Hailey's face fall before she schooled her features into a poker face. When the backdoor closed behind Aiden and Sam I began to walk to where the bedrooms were, dragging Hailey along side me. I pushed her into her bedroom before closing the door behind us. I looked her over making sure that there were no new bruises or anything wrong. When I deemed that she was in fact perfectly fine I calmed down slightly.

"Can you tell me what the hell you were thinking?" I growled.

Instead of looking like the picture of contrition, Hailey's nose flared as her eyes narrowed, "I didn't do anything wrong."

"Don't bet on that horse, Hailey Jade," I warned.

"I needed some time to think," Hailey sighed.

"So you vanish in the middle of the fucking night leaving no clue where you could possibly be?" I demanded. "You're telling me you went through all this trouble just so that you could fucking think? Completely disregarding everything I told you earlier that day?"

Hailey didn't have a response to that instead she crossed her arms and glared sullenly at the floor. Like the floor was to blame for the sudden surge of bad decisions she had made.

"What part of laying low is a good idea right now didn't you get?" I reprimanded sharply. "If I tell you something it's for a good reason and as it turns out someone has it out for you and Sammy."

"It's not our fault we're psychic!" Hailey hissed.

"You're right it's not," I agreed, "but apparently it's enough to have hunters gunning straight for you. What if Gordon had come here instead of Indiana?"

"Why would that have mattered, Dean?" Hailey demanded. "I have all the same training you have."

"That matters because if one hunter thinks its fine and dandy to hunt you than there are others, Hailey! You've seen the way Gordon hunts he doesn't play fair." I snapped. "You really want a pack of hunters trying to kill you? You'd never be able to get out of that by yourself."

"I'm not some defenseless girl!" Hailey grumbled.

"Yeah, Hailey, I taught you nearly every move you know," I frowned. "And despite the fact that maybe you could defend yourself, you forgot a promise you made to me a few months ago."

"Dean…" Hailey whispered. "…I."

"You honestly want to try to explain your actions?" I asked sharply. "Because I'm pretty sure I understand everything. You managed to both ignore a direct order to lay low as well as break every rule dad or I have ever set for you. "

Hailey frowned her eyebrows knitting together as she shot me a miserable look. Then her gaze dropped as she flushed at the reprimand. I sighed to myself wishing more than anything that dad was here and he would be the one to take care of this. But, even when we were kids Hailey had been my responsibility and I was going to show her that things hadn't changed one bit.

"I only wanted time to think," Hailey muttered.

"Don't worry, Hailey, everything going to become crystal clear in a few minutes," I responded, rolling up the sleeves of my flannel shirt.

Hailey began to fidget her fingers twisting at the bottom of her shirt as she bit her bottom lip. The kid knew she messed up and I knew that the she also had a lot on her plate at the moment but this wasn't something I was going to do again. She couldn't just run off whenever she damn well felt like it. Hailey became more nervous as I unbuckled my belt, pulling it free from my jeans as I folded it in half.

"Dean, please," Hailey pleaded.

"Come on, Hails," I sighed. "This is happening. Come over here."

Hailey sniffled once her big blue eyes welling with tears, as she took on small step forward. I sat down purposefully at the edge of the bed, I put my belt next to me and she eyed it nervously as she crept forward, moving slowly to my side. Her nervousness was understandable she had never been belted before, had never done anything bad enough to warrant it but I knew without a doubt that dad would've done the same thing.

"Drop 'em," I ordered.

She followed the order unzipping her jeans and pushing them down her legs. I grabbed her and helped her over my lap. I didn't give her any time to get use to the position, starting in with two sharp blows. She gasped at them but quickly fell silent as I heated up her behind with long, slow smacks. It didn't take long for Hailey to start squirming and I picked up the pace now favoring frequency over force. The change was immediate as Hailey let out a low whimper as her legs began to kick at the growing sting. Just when I thought I was getting through to her she bucked up once trying to loosen my hold around her waist.

"Am I going to have to do this again?" I demanded, raising my voice to be heard over her cries, "I need to be able to trust you, Hailey Jade and I can't if you break your promises."

"I'm sorry!" Hailey sobbed.

"Are you?" I growled. "Why did you do this?"

"How would you feel?" Hailey demanded.

I paused, stilling my movements looking at the back of her head in surprise, "Excuse me?"

"Do you have any idea how much it hurts to hear that Dad said you might have to kill me?" Hailey bawled. "It's not my fault I'm a freak. Hell, I know you think I'm a freak to just by the looks you give me! I'm no better than the things we hunt."

"That is not true," I contradicted. I started back up again as I continued to speak, "And I'm not going to have to kill you because you're not evil. There is nothing wrong with you!"

"Yeah, then why the hell are people hunting Sam and I, Dean?" Hailey retorted.

"No one is going to hurt you, not when I'm around," I replied easily.

Hailey huffed once as I continued with the heavy-handed blows. Sometimes I switched up favoring either frequency or force. Sometimes both which made her howl. Eventually her hands moved back to cover herself from the fiery onslaught and I pinned her hands to the small of her back. She growled kicking harder as I shifted trapping her legs between my own. Being completely trapped did nothing to calm Hailey's sudden surge of anger; instead she burst into loud, angry tears as she buried her face into the covers of the bed.

"Why is this happening, Hailey?" I demanded a few minutes later when her squirming became more frequent and her breathing took on a note of distress.

"I ran away and broke my promise," Hailey moaned, "please, Dean, stop."

"We're almost done," I soothed.

Instead of being soothed by my words her sobbing kicked up a notch as I shifted reaching for the belt. Hailey began to plead and cry, as much as it hurt to hear my sister crying I knew that once everything was through she would think back to this the next time she even thought about running away.

"Dean!" Hailey cried her voice a mixture of whining and pleading as she gasped for breath, tears rolling down her face. "Deeeeeean."

"I'm not going anywhere and neither are you," I said firmly, as I picked up the belt and smacked it down sharply on the crease near the bottom of Hailey's butt. She arched up letting loose a wet holler as the belt met her skin again. And then the sounds were limited to the whoosh and thud of the belt and Hailey's loud, sobbing protests.

The spanking stopped a few minutes later as I tossed my belt across the room. Hailey was lying limp, her face buried in the duvet cover; her shoulders shaking as she sobbed

**Hailey's Point of View**

I had always thought that Dean spanking with just his hand was painful. At least that was until the belt landed. And there was nowhere for the belt to land but on just spanked skin. If I thought I was sobbing before, I was nearly hysterical by the time he stopped. The tears were one continuous stream as my shoulders shook with body wrenching sobs. I felt Dean pull up my panties and I hissed as it renewed the smoldering volcano of agony.

Dean's hand was on my back rubbing soothing circles as he began to hum under his breath. The deep rumbling ghosted over me instantly making me calm and I felt safe. Sure, the spanking hurt but I felt so guilty. Of how my actions had effected Aiden and Dean. I had broken my promise, lied to my cousin, and broke the cell phone rule. I felt horrible and I knew I wouldn't be sitting comfortably for the next couple days at least. The worst part was that I knew I deserved every last handprint and belt stripe that had turned my ass a whole new color.

Suddenly Dean was spinning me around lifting me into his strong arms as my head burrowed into his neck and my hand latched onto Dean's flannel shirt. It was an odd turns of events moments ago I didn't want Dean to touch me and now my hand had grabbed onto his flannel shirt in a death grip. I continued to cry into Dean's neck as he shushed me and then just started talking. The deep rumbling growl that had minutes ago lectured so harshly was now incredibly comforting as I melted into his solid frame.

"Shhh, Hails, its alright baby," Dean whispered. "You're all right. You're okay."

I shook my head and Dean clucked his tongue, "It will be okay, Hailey. We're going to kill that yellow-eyed son of a bitch and any hunter who is stupid enough to think that you're a monster. You know you can come to me for anything. If you talk I'm going to listen, baby. I didn't know my reaction was hurting your feelings this much."

I nodded and tears began to fall again as Dean rocked me back and forth. When the tears finally stopped falling I leaned away from Dean and he looked down at me.

"It's been a crappy day," Dean sighed. "Let's call it a night, huh?"

"Okay," I rasped, my voice nearly non-existent from crying. Dean got up and turned back the covers.

I climbed into the bed hissing as Dean placed the cover over my fried ass. Dean moved to leave the room when my hand grabbed his wrist.

"Stay?" I whispered.

Dean smiled softly and nodded. I felt the bed dip as Dean climbed into bed. I felt the solid weight of his arm as I finally fell into a decent sleep. If only it stayed that way.


	22. Let Me Fall

**Chapter Twenty Two: Let Me Fall**

"_What you don't understand can kill you."_

_There was blood everywhere. It was a wet trail leading all the way down the hallway and curving around. I didn't recognize where I was but the hair on the back of my neck was standing on end. I had a gun clutched in one hand and a flashlight in the other. There was too much blood, so much that someone couldn't possibly survive what had happened._

_I turned the corner and then I was slammed against the wall. The person who pushed me was Trevor. He took the gun throwing it down the hallway. The flashlight followed quickly rolling away and I saw deadened eyes of a person. I yelped in surprise before looking at Trevor. He looked crazed, his eyes were glazed and his hair was a mess._

"_Hailey!" Trevor gasped. His hands were grabbing my biceps with bruising force. "Hails, you shouldn't be here. How'd you get here?"_

"_Oh, I took that particular liberty," A voice replied coming down the hallway. "I figured you wouldn't mind, Trevor."_

"_Azazel," I snarled._

"_Well, hello there, Hailey," Azazel smiled. "I see we have a mutual acquaintance. Although you too have been more intimately acquainted, haven't you?"_

"_Don't talk to her," Trevor snarled._

"_Oh, kiddo, you're in no position to be giving orders," Azazel snapped hurling Trevor into the wall opposite mine, "you see, kid, you're telling my star pupil here things I don't need her to know yet."_

"_So what?" Trevor hissed._

"_Do you know what happens to bad little soldiers?" Azazel asked._

"_Don't touch him," I yelled._

"_Now, now, Hailey, your boyfriend and I are having a serious conversation," Azazel scolded._

_I realized why I had felt so awful before, almost like a part of me was missing. The reason why Azazel had pinned me so easily was the fact that my abilities didn't work in here. Or at least they weren't responding and I tried everything I could think of to get them to start._

"_What's wrong, Trevor?" Azazel smirked. "Hard to get it up without your meat?"_

_I glanced at Trevor who seemed to be having the same difficulty I was. Our eyes caught and I saw the terror that Trevor was struggling to mask. I wanted to know where all the blood had come from. Whose could it possibly be?_

"_Now, I think I've beat around the bush long enough," Azazel stated. "I never thought two of my children would find each other, let alone love each other. Not exactly what I was planning and you know why? It won't work. You see, I only need one from my two generations to lead what I need them too."_

"_Which is what?" I demanded._

"_You'll find out," Azazel smirked. "After all, Hailey, you're in the top of your class, Trevor on the other hand, well, he's been kicked off the island."_

"_Don't you dare touch him," I hissed._

"_I'm not going to touch him," Azazel retorted._

_I gasped as Trevor arched his back, blood soaking through his shirt. When Trevor began to scream, I struggled to get off the wall but found no luck. I had to watch as Trevor's chest became ribbons as he screamed in agony. I was screaming and bawling not only watching Trevor die but seeing how Dean was hurt a few months before. It brought back horrible memories but this was worse. There was nothing I could do, even though I fought with every bone I had. When Trevor was suddenly quiet his head hanging low, my heart dropped into my stomach. He wasn't moving at all. And I was 95 percent sure that he wasn't breathing either._

"_That's what happens to bad little soldiers," Azazel said. "You remember that, Hailey."_

"Hailey!" Someone shouted. "Hailey, wake up!"

"_I swear to god," I seethed. "I'm going to kill you!"_

"_You mean like I killed mommy, daddy, and Trevor?" Azazel laughed. "And maybe I'll kill Aiden and Dean too. What do you think?"_

"_You won't touch them," I hissed._

"_As long as you do as you're told I won't have to," Azazel shrugged._

_I heard the sound of glass shattering as someone was shaking me._

"Hailey!" Some screamed shaking me firmly.

"_I'll be seeing you really soon, Hailey Winchester," Azazel vowed._

With one loud scream I rocketed out of bed wincing as I noticed anything remotely glass-like had shattered into powder. I attempted to move away from the bed when arms wrapped around my waist.

"Hey, hey, hey," Dean whispered in my ear as he pulled me against his chest. "Calm down, it's okay. It was just a dream."

I struggled against the vice like embrace but it was unyielding as ever. I choked on a sob as I clawed at Dean's arms trying to get out of the grip. Before Dean or I could even speak the door banged open slamming against the wall as Aiden and Sam rushed in. Two seconds later Reid and his friends also ran in. Their eyes were black as they made sure there was no threat. Seconds later the glass had been fixed as their eyes went back to normal.

"What the fuck is going on?" Aiden demanded.

"Why was all the glass broken?" Sam asked.

"Hailey was screaming and then everything just burst," Dean explained. "I don't know why she was screaming, though. Wanna clarify, Hails?"

"She's bleeding," Caleb pointed out.

"Jesus," Aiden hissed.

I renewed my struggles to get free as Dean stood up. I kicked against his shins and attempted to bury an elbow in his stomach but he shifted me to his hip, carrying me into the bathroom and closing the door. Dean placed me on the counter as he grabbed the bandages and antiseptic. I tried to get off the counter but Dean just pushed me back down giving me a warning look.

"Hailey, stay still," Dean ordered sharply.

"I have to call someone," I whimpered. It was the first thing I had said and Dean didn't look impressed.

"Whatever happened can wait," Dean commanded. "You're bleeding pretty badly, Hails."

"It doesn't matter," I muttered. "Nothing matters."

"Like hell it doesn't!" Dean fumed beginning to clean out the smaller cuts on my legs and arms before cleaning out the deeper cut on my stomach from where a lam sharp and hit me.

I winced at the rubbing alcohol and than sighed as Dean bandaged each cut with either band-aids or an ace bandage around my stomach. I slipped off the counter and then growled when Dean picked my back up.

"Dean, I can walk!" I whined.

"I'm not giving you the chance to hide somewhere in this giant house," Dean retorted.

I crossed my arms knowing that I was pouting and probably looked ridiculous. It was just irritating that Dean was able to lift and carry me where ever he wanted to. What made me irritated was the fact that all of the guys were still there staring right at me.

Dean placed me back on the bed as everyone looked at me expectantly. I tried to tell myself what happened was just a dream but it didn't feel like any normal dream. I was saved from answering my own internal questions when my phone began to ring. I picked up my phone from where it lay discarded on the floor.

"Tasha," I whispered.

"Hailey," Natasha sniffed. "Oh, god, Hailey. I'm sorry!"

"It's true, isn't it?" I demanded.

"He was crashing at my place," Natasha explained, "and tonight everything just felt off somehow. When I woke up the entire place was on fire. I barely got out alive. Hails, Trevor never made it."

"S'not your fault," I sighed. "I saw it happen."

"Oh, god," Natasha whimpered.

The sound of sadness caused a sob to bubble up in my throat. I disconnected the phone and leapt off of bed trying to run back into the bathroom but Dean caught me around the waist pulling me into his chest.

"Let me go!" I screamed.

"Tell me what happened," Dean responded.

"Let me go," I howled. "Just let me go!"

I was squirming in Dean's embrace punching against his chest in an attempt to get away but with every punch thrown the next one was weaker until Dean grabbed my wrists, spinning me around so I was against his chest again. Tears were streaming down my face as my knees buckled under me. Dean held me up moving me back against the bed as he settled on it pulling me back into his arms as Sam and Aiden sat on either side of us.

"What happened?" Dean whispered.

"Trevor's dead," I whimpered.

"How?" Sam asked.

"Azazel," I cried. "He killed Trevor right in front of me."

"And, how did he swing that?" Aiden questioned.

"He dragged me into Trevor's dream and I watched him die," I responded. "Natasha said her apartments gone, he was staying with her."

"Jesus," Dean whispered.

"Just let me go," I whimpered.

"Uh, guys, can you give us some privacy?" Reid asked.

The rest of the Covenant nodded their head and made their way out of the room. At this moment I just felt lost and more than a little dangerous. I had lost three people all of who were close to me. If I wasn't cursed I didn't know what I was. I just couldn't believe Trevor was dead and I had watched it happen.

"Let me go," I stated.

"No," Dean growled.

"I'm a curse," I whispered. "I've killed two people."

"That's not true," Sam snapped sharply. "We have the same things happening to us."

"Mom died in my nursery and I just saw my boyfriend die," I responded.

"It's that yellow-eyed son of a bitch," Dean stated. "You're not cursed."

"Then why do I feel that way?" I replied.

"You're grieving," Aiden said. "You're not going to be thinking normally."

"I wanna get out of here," I said firmly.

"Hailey," Dean sighed.

"No," I shook my head. "I wanna get outta here."

"Dean, maybe it'll be better," Reid shrugged.

"It's not a good idea to travel when she's like this," Dean said.

"We traveled when I was detoxing," Aiden stated.

"Dude," Dean warned.

"I'm fine, Dean," I groaned.

"No, you're not," Dean groaned.

"Trevor died," I sighed. "And I said that I'd kill Azazel and I'm keeping my promise."

One did not stun Dean Winchester very often. He normally had something to say for everything but this time he couldn't say a word except for a mumbled fine. Besides I didn't want to sit still and just have nothing to do but think about Trevor and watch him die over and over again. At least if we were moving I could keep my mind off of it somehow. My brother's left to pack up and it wouldn't take very long, after all we were all nearly packed already.

"You sure this is a good idea, Hails?" Reid asked/

"Yes, of course," I responded.

"Really because you shattered anything remotely glass like in the entire house with one scream?" Reid prodded.

"I have telekinesis," I stated. "Maybe I gave a metal push and everything shattered. It was a direct reaction to me being threatened. I was trying to get my abilities to work inside my dreams it makes sense that it would work outside as well."

"Just be careful," Reid whispered.

"Always," I grinned. "And, watch my bike, okay?"

"Yeah, of course," Reid scoffed. "Besides, Dean told me not to let you within ten feet of that thing."

I huffed and rolled my eyes as I stuffed some stray clothes into one of my duffels. I grabbed them both as Reid and I waited by the impala. When my brothers came off I hugged Reid close. He picked me up before setting me back on my feet. Reid said goodbye to Sam, Aiden, and Dean before we got in the car, driving away.

"Where are we going to go?" Aiden asked

"Roadhouse?" Sam suggested.

"Yeah, the demon may have resurfaced," Dean said.

The drive to the roadhouse was nearly completely silent and I hated it. I kept hearing Trevor's screams and watching him die. I couldn't think about it, not anymore. The more I thought about it, the more I was torturing myself. I felt guilty as hell but maybe, just maybe, I'd feel better once Azazel was no longer breathing.

I felt a hand on my knee and I knew it Aiden without even looking up. After all, he was the only one who was back here with me. Sam was sleeping and Dean was driving, although I could feel his eyes on me from time to time.

"I'm fine," I sighed.

"No, you're not," Aiden said.

"Back off, Aiden," I warned. "I'm good enough to hunt and that's all that matters right now."

I'd have to be blind to miss the look that Dean and Aiden shared but I didn't care right now. There were only two thoughts on my mind right now and that was protecting what was left of my family and killing the demon that started this mess in the first place.

By the time we got to the Roadhouse it was nearly midnight. It looked like it was another busy night as there were a lot of cars in the lot and music was echoing outside. I climbed out of the impala and walked with my brothers into the roadhouse. People's heads swiveled around and just as quickly turned away.

"Guys?" Ellen called, coming out from around the bar. "Everything okay?"

"Trevor's dead," I said.

"How?" Ellen gasped.

"The demon," I stated.

"Oh, my god," Ellen whispered.

She closed the distance between us grabbing me into a hug. I felt a tickle in my nose and my eyes stung with the effort it took not to let the tears fall. When she pulled away I saw her eyes were moist as well. She nodded before gesturing us to come into the bar. She moved behind the bar again and I hopped into one of the bar stools as Dean and Sam sat on either side of me. Aiden was on Dean's other side as Ellen took out five shot glasses. She poured out five shots of vodka before giving one to Sam, Dean, Aiden, and I. I looked to the side and Dean nodded his head giving me the go ahead to take the shot.

"To Trevor Moore, a damn good kid and an unbelievable hunter," Ellen toasted.

We all raised our glasses before downing the shot. It burned the back of my throat but then it felt warm. Ellen gave us all another shot and this time I took it immediately. I knew it would take a lot more than two shots to make me forget about what had happened and Dean would most likely stop me way before than but there was always getting back to this after everyone had gone to bed.

And that was exactly what I did. As the last person walked out of the bar everyone said goodnight to each other and we made our way to our separate rooms. I waited with the lights off for about an hour; when I heard no one moving I opened my door and crept out my room and back into the main room. I snagged the bottle of vodka off the shelf and took a healthy swig as I got on my computer. Ash had said that the demon hadn't shown up on his computer but that didn't mean that I wouldn't find something.

After three hours I realized that the demon hadn't shown up anywhere. I growled going from upset straight into belligerent. The alcohol may have helped with that but right now I felt so angry. Why did this always happen to my family and I. Didn't we deserve happiness? Didn't we deserve normalcy? A stable home environment and a normal childhood in which our father was actually a father to all the Winchester children instead of just the oldest two.

Sure, life wasn't fair and my life was no different but it seemed like every horrible thing that was out there happened to us. We had lost both our parents from the same goddamn demon. Dean had almost died, and Sam and Aiden couldn't go to school just because the Winchester's couldn't be normal. You can't deny what's out there, what exists under the shadows. Once you're a hunter, you're one for life. You can't retire and you can't just quit. And if someone thinks they actually are the exception for the rule than they're foolish. You let down your guard you're asking for something to kill you. If my father wasn't an example of that than I didn't know what was

"Hay, what are you doing?" Aiden hissed. "What are you still doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep," I mumbled.

"Did you try?" Aiden questioned.

"No," I shrugged.

"Hay, the pain isn't going to go away by drinking," Aiden sighed.

"It goes away for a while," I disagreed.

"And than it comes back twice as worse," Aiden replied. "Come on, Hay. It's time to go to sleep."

"You hated him," I whimpered as Aiden pulled me to my feet.

"What are you talking about?" Aiden sighed.

"You hated Trevor," I said. "You never gave him a chance."

"I'm sorry," Aiden whispered leading me into my bedroom.

Aiden pulled the covers back and pushed me into the bed. I shook my head and Aiden sat down on the edge of my bed waiting for me to fall asleep. I remembered that this was the same room where Trevor and I first really talked and kissed. I sighed rolling onto my side, wondering vaguely if this was why Dad had left Lawrence and drank on a near constant basis for the first couple months after she died. Everything probably reminded Dad of Mom and because of that Dad took us out of the only home we'd ever really have. And now because I had no home, I had nowhere to run to because every time I hunted or used my abilities I'd be reminded of Trevor. I didn't know if I was strong enough for that kind of daily reminder.


	23. Temporary Insanity

**Chapter Twenty-three: Temporary Insanity**

"_She managed to be as fragile as a butterfly and still be as tough as steel."_

"You're really pushing your luck, Hails," Jo sighed.

I groaned clapping my hands to my throbbing head. My mouth felt dry and the room was too bright. I didn't even want to move because my stomach was tumbling and already threatening to backfire on me.

"Drink this," Jo ordered when I finally leaned against the head board. I took the water and drained it, "You shouldn't have had that much."

"It wasn't," I muttered.

"Yeah, it was," Jo corrected. "Half the bottle was gone. That shit's strong."

"Not strong enough," I muttered.

Jo was saved from arguing against what I had just said when I sprang out of bed and ran into the bathroom. I collapsed to my news and vomited. Great, now not only did my head hurt but now my knees hurt too. I brushed my teeth before wandering back into the main room where my brothers were eating breakfast.

"You know, Hay, I know a really good hangover remedy," Aiden called, grinning wickedly. "It's a greasy pork sandwich, served up in a dirty ash tray."

I turned a sickening shade of green as my stomach rolled. Dean smacked Aiden upside the head without even looking up from the newspaper he was reading. Aiden looked indignant to say the least as he shot a glower in Dean's direction. Sam for his part rolled his eyes. I took the place in between Dean and Sam.

"Take these," Dean ordered. "It'll make you feel better."

"I guess drinking half a bottle of vodka by yourself wasn't such a brilliant idea, was it, Hails?" Sam sighed.

"Back off," I groaned.

"Don't do it again, Hailey," Dean said firmly.

Aiden scoffed and huffed again looking irritated.

"What's your problem, junior?" Dean demanded.

"This is the second time she drank," Aiden shrugged.

"You're point?" Dean sighed.

"The last time you told her not until she's twenty one and she's still eighteen, Dean," Aiden grumbled. "And now she's barely even being reprimanded."

"Aiden you think you could be remotely sympathetic to her?" Sam questioned. "She just lost her boyfriend. For all intents and purposes she watched him die."

"I know," Aiden groaned. "But she can't keep drinking to wash the pain away. She isn't dad and it's dangerous."

"Almost like snorting coke?" I snarled.

"Hailey!" Dean reprimanded sharply.

I slid off my chair and moved quickly out of the roadhouse. Before I hit the door I heard the muffled conversation that my brothers' were having. Dean was of the mind frame to just let me be and Aiden said that I was just lashing out and he understood. I had felt guilty for jabbing Aiden about his drug habit no less. I'd have to apologize later. None of us handled grief really well, if the last few months of mourning dad was anything to go by. The weirdest thing about this whole thing was the fact that I felt lonely. The only place that I thought I'd never feel like this would be the Roadhouse, it was a safe house for hunters and it was one of the places where my brothers and I could talk about anything and not worry about being questioned unless that was a question to help us out on something. The roadhouse was the one where we could embrace who we were and now I felt isolated and alone.

I now had something that separated me from my brothers' something that they couldn't relate too. The boy I liked, no I think I loved him. I slumped to my knees as the weight of that statement hit me full in the chest. I had loved Trevor and I was pretty sure that he loved me as well and now he was gone. Sam, Dean, and Aiden didn't know what that was like and maybe it made thins worse. Before we could unify in our grief for losing our parents, it made it an easier cross to bare but now I was on my own struggling with my own grief.

There wasn't anything I could do though. Trevor was dead and he wasn't ever coming back. My parents weren't coming back either. My brothers were all I had and most of the time they were all I needed. And than there were times like this when I wished my mom was still alive or even my father. I wished we had a house in the suburbs and the fact that Sam and Aiden both had full rides to Stanford was something to be praised instead of shunned for. I wish that Dean had the auto shop of his dreams. I wanted my mother around to give me advice on boys and give me the sex talk (because getting that talk from Dean was one of the most awkward things in the whole world). I wished that my dad and my brothers could bond over football or something.

But that wasn't the life I had or the life that my brothers got. Instead we were trained like warriors and maybe that was what we were. And despite all the negative things, most of the time things were okay. The downtime we had between hunts and the kind of bond my brothers and I shared couldn't be severed or duplicated. The Winchester family was one of a kind. And, even though I loved my brothers to death, I couldn't help lashing out. After all who better to cut to the quick than your own flesh and blood.

"It's cold out here, Hailey," Dean whispered from behind me. "Here's your jacket."

"I'm fine," I mumbled.

"Take the jacket, Hails," Dean ordered.

I took my jacket from Dean's grasp and slid it over my arms. It looked as though Dean wanted to say something but either chose not to or decided against it because he laid a hand on my shoulder before walking back into the Roadhouse, leaving me alone with my thoughts again. I dug my hands into my pocket as I stood back up walking around the Roadhouses property. I yelped when my hand brushed against something pointy. I retracted my hand and saw that the tip of my right index finger was welling with a small bubble of blood. I frowned sticking the aforementioned finger in my mouth to stop of the flow of blood. When it stopped I carefully went back into my pocket, and pulled out a small safety pin. I looked at it critically. In the small amount of time that it took to prick my finger I hadn't thought over Trevor.

I glanced between my finger that had been pricked and the safety pin. If one moment of pain had kept my mind off Trevor than maybe a scratch would keep me distracted longer and then maybe more than one scratch would be better. I considered it for another moment before hurling the safety pin away. I didn't need a safety pin to inflict any more pain than I was already feeling. It was already dangerous that I was walking the fine line of understanding that there was some point where physical pain could distract one from the emotional pain that was being felt at the time.

"You going to freeze yourself?" Aiden asked easing down to sit next to me.

"What are you talking about?" I muttered.

"You're lips are blue and you're shivering," Aiden sighed pulling me into his side.

"You don't understand," I whimpered.

"You're right," Aiden shrugged. "I can't understand. But what I can do is be there for you and I am, Hay. You never have to carry anything by yourself. You're not dad, Hailey, you need us."

"You hated, Trevor, Aiden," I sniffled. "Dean did too."

"We're not happy he's dead, Hailey," Aiden gaped, indignantly, "He was dating our little sister. And I found him half naked, asleep in your bed, so we didn't get along. It didn't mean that we weren't happy that you were happy and when it came down to it that's what mattered."

"I miss him, Aiden," I sobbed. "I miss him a lot."

"I know, Hay," Aiden soothed hugging me tightly. "I promise you that demon's going to reach his expiration date very soon."

I didn't say a word as Aiden pulled me into his chest as I burrowed my face into his neck. He rubbed my back humming gently under his breath, it was a tune I couldn't exactly place but the melody ran straight back to our childhoods. It was a melody only sung during nightmares and illnesses or other times where either Sam, Aiden, and I were miserable. I think that Dean had remembered it from mom or maybe dad but for as long as I could remember Dean would sing it to us and then Aiden use to sing it to me.

"Come on, Hails, it's time to go inside," Aiden whispered. "Before you get sick on top of everything else."

Aiden helped me to my feet and together we walked into the roadhouse where it looked nearly completely empty. I figured that everyone was off doing they're separate things. Suddenly Ellen and Sam burst out of the kitchen.

"Hails!" Sam exclaimed.

I caught the scent of something burning which would explain why Ellen looked less than thrilled. She had tossed Sam the keys to one of the pick up trucks out back with a firm order of getting decent food since he had distracted her from dinner in the first place. Along Sam's way to the door, Sam grabbed my arm saying that I was going to come too. I stumbled for a second before following Sam outside and into the truck.

The ride to the closest diner was quiet and Sam was looking sheepish at best I don't know how dinner had gotten ruined or why Sam was to blame. I figured that Sam had been in there when something started to burn, so Ellen placed the blame on Sam and since he was the only one around, he got stuck with the dinner run.

When we got there Sam and I hopped out of the truck. It was easy to order for Aiden and Dean. They always got cheeseburgers with extra onions. Sam remember to get a pie and the rest of the order flew over my head. I sat down on one of the old vinyl stools content to weight. Suddenly a sharp, acrid smell and then everything went black.

**Dean's Point of View**

"Where are they?" I groaned coming into the main bar, "I'm starving!"

"Quit whining," Jo rolled her eyes, "they only left a half hour ago."

"Jojo, it's a diner," Aiden scoffed. "They're supposed to be quick and efficient, which means that a half hour is fifteen minutes too many."

"What do you want to do?" Jo demanded. "Go there and make sure they made the order?"

Aiden and I shared a look before standing up.

"Are you guys serious?" Jo gaped. "I was kidding!"

"If you're so opposed maybe you should come with us," Aiden suggested.

"Fine," Jo huffed.

It was a fast drive to the closest diner. I see the truck that was normally outside the roadhouse parked in one of the spots. I parked next to it moving quickly into the diner. I hissed as Aiden and Jo ran into me.

"What's wrong?" Jo asked.

"Shhh," I ordered sharply.

I pulled out my gun as I saw a man whose entire upper body was draped across the table. It would seem normal until you saw his slit throat and blood stretching out of the table. Aiden hissed spying the same thing. He pulled out his own gun laying a protective arm over Jo's shoulders. Everyone in the diner was dead the cooks, a random waitress, and a few costumers. Hailey and Sam were no where in sight. I walked through the back and spotted the back door I opened it and peered out back. There was nothing there when I removed my hand I noticed residue on the lining of the door's window: sulfur.

"Aiden!" I shouted.

"What is it?" Aiden asked.

"Sulfur?" I frowned.

"And Hails and Sammy are gone?" Jo questioned.

"Yeah looks like," I grumbled. "It had a to be a demon."

"The demon?" Aiden gulped.

"I don't know," I growled. "Come on we're going back to the roadhouse. Aiden call Bobby. Jo tell your mom what's going on and to notify all the hunters. I think that whatever the yellow-eyed demon's planning…it's starting now."


	24. All Hell Breaks Loose

**Author's Note: Hey y'all! Here's chapter 24 that's 19 pages to make up for the shortness of the previous chapter. I have edited every chapter so that they now all have quotes. So, check it out and tell me what you think about this chapter! Happy reading. ~Beccatdemon13**

**Chapter Twenty-Four: All Hell Breaks Loose**

"_People always think that anger is the most dangerous emotion but disgust is the language of hatred."_

**Hailey's Point of View**

"Hey!" Someone shouted shaking my shoulder as I began to wake up. The first thing I realized was that I had the headache from hell and the second thing was that I had no idea where I was.

"Where are we?" I groaned.

"Middle of nowhere," A different voice growled.

"And how did we get here?" I sighed as I stood shakily on my feet.

"Who knows?" A boy with dark auburn hair and bright blue eyes growled. He was tall and looked seriously displeased with the situation.

"Has anyone seen my brother?" I asked.

"Nope, it's only us," A girl with blond hair and green eyes said.

"What are we even doing here?" The boy from before grumbled. "I was asleep in Phoenix and then I wake up here?"

"I was ordering dinner," I shrugged.

"What the fuck?" The girl grumbled.

"Wild guess you're all eighteen?" I suggested as I looked between eight other people around me.

"Yeah," The eight people said suspiciously.

"I figured," I sighed. "We all are and we all have abilities."

Everyone looked suddenly uneasy as we all regarded each other with barely masked distrust.

"I'm Hailey Winchester," I introduced. "I'm telekinetic it started nearly a year ago."

"Same here," A black haired girl exclaimed. "I didn't even think it was possible but one day I got so angry at my step father, he was hitting my mother, and suddenly he couldn't breath. He suffocated and no one could figure out why. I'm Rowan Hanley."

"I'm Eric Ross," A boy with dark brown hair and clear blue eyes. "I can control water, hydrokinetic. It just happened one day."

"My name is Abby Chase and I'm an elemental," The blond girl from before shrugged. "I can control anything really or at least anything I ever tried to."

"I can cause pain without touching someone," The boy with auburn hair said. "Plant ideas that a person is in unbearable pain inside their minds. My name is David Sinclair."

The rest of the names and abilities blurred together. Tucker Randall had electrokinesis, an ability to control anything electric. He was nearly as tall as Aiden, he had black nearly blue hair and dark brown eyes. There was Connor Malone who had dyed bright blue hair and silver eyes, he had the ability to control anything that was metal, molding it into anything he wanted. The last two girls was Bella Gates, who had the build of a pixie with spiky brown hair and grey eyes, she had the ability to scream. That might not have sound like much but she demonstrated. Her scream was sonic, destroying nearly anything glasslike it the area where we were standing around along with my hearing. The last girl was Lucy Mackenzie had red hair and hazel eyes she was a medium and when she told us she looked at me sadly.

My heart clenched I knew immediately that she knew exactly how much I had lost within eighteen years of life and god was it depressing.

"Great," David sneered. "Now that we've all gotten to know each other and established that we're all freaks, what the fuck are we doing here?"

"How are we supposed to know?" Abby retorted.

"Who brought us here?" Lucy asked

"It's not really a who," I grimaced.

"What does that mean?" Rowan demanded.

"It's a demon," I cringed, feeling uncomfortable despite knowing that there was no other reason why nine psychics were suddenly all together. Besides I smelled sulfur right before I passed out. There was no other way this could've gone down too bad all those other kids were looking at me like I had lost my mind.

**Sam's Point of View**

It wasn't often where I woke up having no idea how I got there, and maybe that was why this was so disorienting. I wasn't in Nebraska anymore, of that I was certain. Instead I was in an abandoned town. I got to my feet walking slowly around to get my bearings. Where was I? And why wasn't there anyone else around. It was a ghost town all the buildings were broken down and most were locked from the outside.

Just when I thought I was alone I heard a creaking noise coming from the other side of the building I flattened myself against the wall as I grabbed a plank of wood. When the person turned the corner I lunged. I pulled back when the person cowered.

"Hey!" The man exclaimed. "What the hell, dude? Who are you? What am I doing here?"

"What's your name?" I asked dropping the wood to the ground.

"Andy," The man answered still looking completely freaked. He was wearing a silk bathrobe and a ratty tee shirt and pajama pants.

"Hi, Andy, I'm Sam," I introduced.

"What am I doing here?!" Andy yelled.

"I don't know," I replied.

"Where are we?" Andy asked.

"Andy, you need to calm down," I ordered.

"I can't calm down!" Andy retorted. "I just woke up in friggin frontier land!"

"What's the last thing you remember?" I sighed.

"Honestly?" Andy muttered. "My fourth bong load. It was weird. All of a sudden, there was this really intense smell. Like, uh…"

"Like sulfur?" I prompted.

"How did you know that?" Andy questioned.

"Because I smelled sulfur before I woke up here," I mumbled and then realized. "Hailey."

"Who?" Andy asked.

"My little sister," I said. "Have you seen her? She had long light brownish blonde hair, big blue eyes. She's small?"

"No, man," Andy said. "I haven't, I'm sorry."

Suddenly I heard one sharp almost painful scream. Andy and I covered our ears and then just as quickly as it started it stopped. Within the silence there was a different scream. A woman screaming in the distance. I began to run towards it with Andy following close at my heels.

"Help me!" A woman screamed. "Oh, god, help me!"

"Okay, I'm here," I soothed. "We're gonna get you out all right? Just hold on a second."

"Please!" The woman pleaded.

I picked up a rock and began to smash the lock until the lock fell open. I pulled the lock off and opened the latch. The person who stepped out wasn't who I was expecting. It was Ava Wilson the psychic who came t warn me that Gordon Walker was going to kill me a few weeks ago. Dean and I had went to check on her before we got Hailey and when we got to Ava's house there was no one in sight except for Ava's fiancé's dead body. She had been missing for a while.

"Ava?" I whispered.

"Oh, my god! Sam!" Ava sobbed lunging at me and hugging me tightly.

"So, I guess you guys know each other," Andy murmured squirming uncomfortably.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"How did you-I mean, how did you-" Ava tried to question.

"Ava, have you been there this whole time?" I frowned.

"What whole time?" Ava asked. "I just woke up in there, like, half an hour ago."

"Well, you've been gone for nearly a month," I responded. "My brother and I have been looking for you."

"Okay, that's impossible because I saw you two days ago," Ava shook her head.

"You didn't," I corrected, "I'm sorry."

"But…that makes no sense," Ava whimpered. "That's not, oh my god! My fiancée, Brady! If I've been missing for that long, he must be freaking out!"

"Well," I grimaced now uncomfortable. This was awkward. How do you tell someone that you saw their fiancée dead in a pool of blood? Actually it was a lot more than a pool, it soaked the bed and had dripped down onto the floor. While I was contemplating Ava noticed Andy and looked at him in confusion.

"Hey," Andy waved. "Andy, also freaking out."

"Okay," Ava nodded before addressing me, "what's happening?"

"I don't really know yet. But I know one thing: I know what the three of us have in common."

It was then I heard a man screaming, "Hello? Is anybody there?"

"Maybe more than three," I mused beginning to walk towards the new voice.

There were behind a side of another building, there was two of them. One was a African American man wearing army fatigues and a blonde girl wearing all black.

"Hey!" I called. "Hey, you guys all right?"

"I think so," The man mused.

"I'm Sam," I introduced.

"Jake," The man replied.

"Lily," The girl responded.

"Are there anymore of you?" I asked curiously.

"No," Jake said.

"How did we even get here?" Lily demanded. "A minute ago, I was in San Diego."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I went to sleep last night in Afghanistan," Jake frowned.

"Let me take a wild guess: you two are both twenty-four? We all are and we all have abilities," Sam stated.

"What?" Jake asked.

"It started a little while ago. You found you could do things? Things you didn't think were possible?" When they nodded I continued, "I have visions. I see things before they happen."

"Yeah, me, too," Ava said.

"Yeah, and I can put thoughts into people's heads," Andy smiled. "Like, make them do stuff. But don't worry. I don't think it works on you guys. Oh, but get this, I've been practicing, training my brain, like meditation. So now, it's not just thoughts I can beam out, but images, too. Like, anything I want. Bam! People see it. This one guy I know, total dick, right? I used it on him: gay porn. All hours of the day. It was just like, you should've seen the look on his face!"

I looked at Andy in confusion while the other three people seemed to be completely horrified.

"Uh…okay," Andy muttered.

"So, you go, "Simon says give me your wallet", and they do?" Lily hissed before turning to me, "You have visions? That's great! I'd kill for something like that."

"Lily, listen, it's okay," I soothed.

"No, it's not!" Lily yelled. "I touch people? Their heart stops! I can barely leave my house. My life's not exactly improved. So, screw you. I just wanna go home."

"And what, we don't?" Jake hissed.

"You know what?" Lily snapped rounding on Jake, "Don't talk to me like that…"

"Hey, guys, please," I frowned. "Look, whether we like it or not, we're all here, and so we all have to deal with this."

"Who brought us here?" Andy asked.

"It's not exactly a who," I grimaced. "It's more of a what, really."

"What does that mean?" Ava demanded.

"A demon," I said "A demon brought us here."

**Dean's Point of View**

"You're telling me that Hailey and Sam just disappeared?" Ellen demanded. "And there was sulfur in the diner."

"Everyone was dead too, mom," Jo said.

"This is terrific," Ellen sighed.

"What did I miss?" Bobby asked coming into the Roadhouse.

What had he missed? Well, he missed Hailey and Sam being taken by the demon or maybe demons. He missed me and Aiden freaking out as we tore the entire town apart before we realizing that they weren't in Nebraska. He had missed us frantically calling every single hunter we knew so that everyone was on call and ready to go.

"Nothing," I said.

"Well, I have something," Bobby replied walking to the counter and laying a map on the table for Ellen, Jo, Aiden, and I to see.

"What's this?" Aiden asked.

"This is it," Bobby said. "All the demonic signs and omens over the past month."

"Are you joking?" I growled. "There's nothing here."

"Exactly," Bobby said.

"Come on," I groaned. "There's gotta be something. What about the normal, low-level stuff? You know, exorcism, that kind of thing?"

"That's what I'm telling you: there's nothing it's completely quiet," Bobby said.

"How are we supposed to find them, Bobby?" Aiden demanded. "What, do we just close our eyes and point?"

"Watch that tone with me, boy," Bobby warned.

"Sorry," Aiden sighed. "I'm just worried."

"We all are, baby," Ellen soothed. "But we're going to find them."

"Ash do you have anything?" I asked.

"It's a big nugatory on Sam and Hailey," Ash said.

"Come on, man!" I growled. "You've gotta give us something. We're looking at a three thousand mile haystack here."

"Well there's one thing and it will definitely help us find them," Ash said typing a few things out on his laptop.

Ash got up taking a map of Wyoming with him. He too spread it on the table and marked five different spots with Xs.

"Wyoming?" I asked. "What does that mean?"

"Hold on," Bobby said, picking up one of his books and beginning to read it.

"What?" Aiden asked when Bobby looked surprised, "You got something?"

"It's a lot more than that," Bobby said. "Each of these X's is an abandoned frontier church, all of them mid 19th century and all of them built by Samuel Colt."

"Samuel Colt?" I asked. "The demon killing gun making Samuel Colt?"

"Yep," Bobby nodded.

"There's more," Ash said. "Colt built private railway lines connecting church to church. And they happen to lay out like this."

Ash took his pen and connected each church when he was done we were all staring at Devil's trap.

"What?" I muttered.

"It's a Devil's trap," Aiden gaped. "A hundred square mile one."

"That's brilliant," I mused. "Iron lines, the demons can't cross."

"I haven't heard of anything that massive," Ellen mused

"No one has," Bobby said.

"And after all these years none of the lines are broken?" I questioned. "I mean they still work?"

"Maybe," Aiden shrugged. "But how is this supposed to help us find Hailey and Sam?"

**Hailey's Point of View**

After the other people finally stopped looking at me like I was insane, because really we have abilities and they didn't think demons existed? Come on. Anyway, once we established that we were here because a demon wanted us to be we began to scout the town for supplies. We passed by a well with a huge bell with an engraving of an oak tree on it. I stopped and looked at it for a moment because I had already found candles and flint, so my task was done.

I had seen that bell before but where? A town so haunted the entire population had ran. Oh, my god. We were in Cold Oak, South Dakota. I remember Dad talking about that town once or twice telling us how it was a spirit magnet for some reason.

"Hailey, are you okay?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah," I sighed. "I know where we are."

"Where?"

"Cold Oak, South Dakota," I said.

"That explains why I'm seeing so many spirits," Lucy nodded.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"That I was a medium?" Lucy said. "Well, my mom died when I was little and I saw her a few months ago saying that she was sorry, that she never meant for this to happen. I had no idea what she was talking about. But after I saw my mom I kept seeing people. Trevor misses you, by the way. I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's okay," I whispered. "Do you see anyone else by me?"

"I just see Trevor," Lucy said. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I muttered. "Honestly, I should be use to it by now."

"How do you know about all this stuff?" Lucy asked.

"My mother died when I was six months old, my dad said he found her pinned to the ceiling and then a fire," I murmured. "He got us all out of there and my dad was messed up. He was drinking a lot, scarred by what he had seen. He saw a local psychic and discovered what really lurked in the dark. He learned how to kill them, anything remotely evil. Soon, he taught my brothers and I. It's the family business."

"Jesus," Lucy hissed.

"Yeah, and a few months ago my dad died," I sighed. "It was the same thing that had killed our mother and my boyfriend died four days ago."

Lucy looked really sympathetic and I didn't even feel defensive. She was sad because of my losses. We may have just met but when she hugged me it didn't feel any different from when I hugged Natasha or Jo.

"Guys, I found some salt!" Abby yelled.

"I have iron!" Tucker called back.

"I found an empty place for us to crash!" Rowan shouted.

"Looks like we better regroup," I sighed.

Five minutes later the salt was laid out around one room of the apartment we had found. We had enough iron to make weapons for everyone as well as candles to burn when the sun began to go down.

"What now?"

"Screw this," Connor sneered. "I don't need any of you. I'm getting out here."

"The demon's not going to let us just walk away," I responded.

"I don't see it," Connor snapped. "What's it so afraid since it won't show it's fucking face?"

" Look, you've never even seen a demon why don't you just trust what I say when I tell you that you're not going to get out of here alive,"

"You threatening me, Winchester?" Connor hissed.

"I'm stating fact," I retorted.

I cursed the fact that I was so vertically challenged because when I stood nose to nose with Connor he loomed over me and it just pissed me off.

"You want to get yourself, fine," I snapped. "But, I know I'm right."

"Go fuck yourself," Connor sneered.

He stalked out of the apartment. The remaining people looked at me wide eyed and I sat down. He'll come back this entire area's abandoned and it's getting dark. Or at least that's what I thought, at first. When he didn't come back nearly three hours later. We got worried. We split up to search for him when someone began screaming. Immediately I ran towards the source of the screaming and I gasped. Connor was splayed on the ground his chest was ripped open; ribs sticking out and I fought back a gag because his face was frozen in terror.

"We need to get back inside," I whispered. "We're not safe out here."

"No, we're not safe anywhere," Rowan said. "Because we weren't brought here to hang out with each other. We're supposed to kill each other. The last person left wins."

"And who told you this?" I asked.

"The yellow man," Rowan said.

"He told me the same thing," Tucker said.

"Me too," David, Eric, and Bella said at the same time.

"You see," Bella stated smirking, "Eric, David, and I are the reigning champs. I'm second in command and they're directly under me. People keep showing up in batches."

"We kill them," Eric shrugged.

"Did you kill Connor?" I asked.

"Well, I did," Eric said. "You wouldn't believe what Connor would do to escape the kind of pain I was inflicting."

"Our abilities aren't supposed to work on each other," I whispered.

"No they don't work on the older generation," Bella corrected. "It's works within this generation."

Suddenly Lucy fell to the ground screaming a blood-curdling scream. Eric was staring at her in concentration. Suddenly Tucker was grasping at his neck as Rowan looked at him. David was attempting to drown Abby in the lake and Bella rounded on me. That sonic scream made it hard to think. That screaming was all I could hear and feel. I was screaming and Bella was screaming until I twisted my hand and Bella collapsed into a boneless heap. Her neck was twisted in a horrible angle and I'd feel bad if she wasn't trying to kill me. I wiped blood from where it had begun to leak out of my ears as I turned to the war zone. Tucker was too down for the count while Rowan had just killed David.

People left Abby on the ground thinking that she was dead but she was still breathing. When people moved away from her, she got up knocking Eric's attention off of Lucy who was still screaming. When Eric turned on Abby, she reacted quickly fire coming out of nowhere, scorching Eric instantly. She didn't put it out either and no matter how much Eric rolled he couldn't put the fire out. When he was still Abby waved her hand looking disgusted with herself. Lucy looked at Abby and they both nodded smiling at each other. It was then I realized that they knew each other before we all had got here. They turned to me and nodded; it was then I realized that we were the last three-left standing. Then everything went black.

**Sam's Point of View**

After dropping the demon bomb on Lily, Jake, Ava, and Andy, their reactions left a lot to be desired. Honestly, how did they think they got their abilities in the first place? Sure there were normal psychics but with the way Azazel stalking my sister the demon had something to do with all of this.

We were looking for supplies so that we could stay the night and remain protected from the demon who had tried to kill Jake. That demon was an Acheri, who normally disguises itself as a little girl. If I hadn't gotten there in time Jake would've been ripped to shreds. They were able to believe that demons existed after that.

While Ava, Andy, and Jake came around, Lily was still being difficult maintaining that she was the only one who had suffered. We were wandering around the town when I found a knife on the ground. I picked it up and turned to Ava who was messaging her temples.

"Hey, are you all right?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm just a little dizzy," Ava replied.

"Are you sure it's not some kind of…"

"What?" Ava scoffed. "Some kind of freaky vision thing? No, more like I'd kill for a sandwich, I haven't eaten since, well, who knows? No, don't worry, I'm fine. Except for every single thing that's happening."

"Guys!" Andy shouted. "I found something!"

We all walked to where Andy was. He was holding up two bags looking incredibly pleased with himself.

"Salt!" Andy smirked.

"That's great, Andy," I smiled. "Now, we all can…where's Lily?"

"Lily?" Ava called.

"Lily!" I shouted.

When I began to hear a little girl giggling, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. It was the same giggling that we had heard when the Acheri had attacked Jake. We ran outside trying to find Lily before the Acheri did. My eyes widened as I saw Lily on the top of the water tower with a noose around her neck, dead.

"Oh, my god!" Ava gasped. "Okay, that's officially, Sam, she's dead! She's dead! You said we were chosen for a reason! That's not chosen! That's killed! Okay, we have to get out of here."

"Stop," I ordered.

"Yeah, I second that emotion," Andy stated.

"I'm not sure that's an option," Jake disagreed.

"What?" Ava demanded.

"Lily was trying to leave," I explained. "The demon's not gonna let us get away that easy. We've gotta gear up for the next attack."

"Gear up?" Ava repeated.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Okay, well, I'm not a soldier!" Ava snapped. "I can't do that!"

"Well, if you wanna stay alive, you're gonna have to. Let's go," I growled/

"I'll get her down," Jake said, gesturing toward Lily's corpse.

"You know," I sighed looking towards Andy as Ava stalked away and Jake went to get Lily down, "I was just thinking how much Dean would help right now. I'd give my arm for a working phone."

"You know, you may not need one," Andy mused. "I've never tried it long-distance before, but do you have anything of Dean's on you? Like, something he touched?"

"Uh, I've gotta receipt," I said after searching my pockets, "Would that work?"

"Yeah," Andy smiled taking the receipt from my hand he glanced at the signature and looked at me smirking, "D. Hasselhoff?"

"Yeah, that's Dean's signature," I flushed. "It's, uh, hard to explain."

"Okay then," Andy snickered before focusing on the receipt. I just hoped it worked because at this present moment the person I needed wasn't here.

**Aiden's Point of View**

We were all at a complete loss and that was what was most frustrating. Ash and Bobby wee working together. Natasha had come a few hours ago but she too was having problems locating Sam and Hailey. She said there was a block or something and she was trying everything she knew to work around it. It had been hours stuck in the roadhouse and no one had been able to make a move. We wanted to find Sam and Hailey before going to Wyoming because right now there was only one item of the agenda. When someone even mentioned Wyoming, Dean sent a darkest glare I had ever seen at the person in question before walking back over to Ash and Bobby.

"We're going to find them," Bobby said. "But you need to calm down, Dean. You're not helping anyone working yourself up like this."

It looked like Dean was going to retort but instead he clutched his head in pain. I rushed over as everyone looked over.

"Dean?" I whispered.

Dean was groaning, doubling over in pain. When he straightened back up he looked past me to Bobby.

"What was that?" Bobby asked.

"I don't know," Dean mumbled. "A headache?"

"You get headaches like that a lot?" Bobby questioned.

"No," Dean chuckled, "must be the stress. I could've sworn I saw something."

"Like a vision?" I asked.

"What?" Dean scoffed. "No!"

"It's a decent point," Bobby shrugged.

"Come on, I'm not some psychic," Dean retorted.

That may have been true but that didn't matter when Dean gasped and slumped forward in pain again. This time it got Natasha's attention, moving closer to Dean and placing her hand on his forehead. When Dean straightened back up both Ellen and Natasha forced Dean into a seat while Ellen brought Dean a glass of water.

"You with us?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Dean winced. "I saw Sam. I saw him."

"It was a vision," Bobby nodded.

"Yeah, I don't know how, but yeah," Dean shook his head. "Whew, that was about as much fun as getting kicked in the jewels."

"What else did you see?" I asked.

"There was a bell?" Dean muttered.

"What kind of bell?" Bobby questioned.

"Like a big bell with some kind of engraving on it, I don't know," Dean shrugged drinking some of the water.

"Engraving?" Bobby repeated.

'Yeah," Dean said.

"Was it a tree?" Bobby queried, "Like an oak tree?"

"Exactly," Dean replied.

"I know where Sam is," Bobby said.

"Where?" Dean and I demanded instantly.

"Cold Oak, South Dakota," Bobby stated.

"Alright, let's go!" Dean ordered.

I knew he was talking more to Bobby and I but Natasha followed us outside and into the impala. The impala's wheels spun up a cloud of dust as Dean ripped out of Roadhouses parking lot.

**Sam's Point of View**

I was so glad that we had found an open apartment that had a table as well as a few chairs. It was really cold and we barely had fire, only having enough for a few candles. It had been a long day and I was struggling to stay awake, my eyes shutting on their own accord. When I snapped my eyes open, there was someone behind Jake, someone with yellow eyes.

"Jake!" I shouted. "Behind you!"

"Howdy, Sam," Azazel smirked.

"I'm dreaming," I groaned.

"What do you say you and I take a little walk?"

What other choice did I have? I got up and followed after Azazel as he led me outside.

"You're awfully quiet, Sam," Azazel smirked. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

"I'm going to tear you to shreds, I swear to…"

"When you wake up, tiger, you give it your best shot," Azazel chuckled.

"Where are my brothers and sister?" I growled.

"Don't worry about them," Azazel said. "Worry about yourself."

"Why?" I sneered. "You gonna kill me?"

"I'm trying to help you, that's why we're talking," Azazel growled. "You're the one I'm rooting for."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked. We had been walking but I stopped prompting Azazel to stop too.

"Welcome to the Miss America pageant," Azazel smiled holding out his hands, "Why do you think you're here? This is a competition. Only one of you crazy kids is gonna make it out of here alive."

"I thought we were supposed to be…"

"Soldiers in a coming war?" Azazel interrupted. "That's true. You are. But here's the thing. I don't need soldiers. I need soldier. I just need the one."

"Why?" I hissed.

"Well, I couldn't just come out and say that, could I, Sam?" Azazel asked. "I had to let everyone think they had a fighting chance. But what I need is a leader."

"To lead who?" I asked.

"Oh, I've already got my army, or I will soon, anyway," Azazel smirked.

"You son of a bitch," I seethed.

"That's not nice, Sam," Azazel scolded. "Honestly, I'm surprised you hadn't guessed. Didn't you look for some of the others? They were already dead, so many flamed out already. They weren't strong enough. I'm looking for the best and brightest of your generation."

"My generation?" I replied.

"Did you think you and Hailey were the only ones?" Azazel laughed. "That's cute. Nope, you have your pageant and Hailey's had hers. There were others to but they weren't strong either. But, you and Hailey are my favorites. You're tough, you're smart, and you're well trained, thanks to our daddy. Sam, Sammy, you're my favorite."

"Where's my sister?" I hissed.

"She's here," Azazel shrugged. "In this town. She won her fight she's fine."

"I'm not doing anything for you," I spat. "You ruined my life. You killed my parents."

"Cost of doing business, I'm afraid," Azazel said.

"What about my mom?" I demanded.

"That was bad luck," Azazel frowned. "She walked in on your sister and I. Wrong place, wrong time."

"What does that mean?" I growled.

"It wasn't about her," Azazel replied. "It was about you and Hailey. It's always been about you two."

"What?" I whispered.

"Well, okay," Azazel muttered. "You caught me in a charitable mood. I'll show you."

I flinched when Azazel snapped his fingers and suddenly we were in the old house in Lawrence. The walls were a light yellow, we were in Hailey's nursery.

"Look familiar?" Azazel smirked

I gasped as I saw someone staring over my sister's crib. It was Azazel from all those years ago. I moved to attack when the present Azazel grabbed me.

"Relax, Sam," Azazel sighed. "This is just a hi-def instant replay. Enjoy the show."

I glared at Azazel but was distracted when I saw my mother walking into Hailey's nursery.

"John?" Mom yawned.

"Mom!" I shouted.

"Is she hungry?" Mom asked.

"Shhh," The past Azazel whispered.

"Okay," Mom shrugged walking out of the room.

"Wait, Mom!" I shouted. "Mom!"

"What did I just tell you, Sam?" Azazel growled. "She can't hear you, this isn't real."

I watched horrified as Azazel leaned further over Hailey's crib. He cut his wrist with his nail and blood began to drip into Hailey's mouth.

"What the hell are you doing to her?"

"Better than mother's milk," Azazel snickered. "Don't feel bad, Sammy, you have it too."

"Does that mean I have demon blood in me?" I seethed and became irate when Azazel just laughed. "Answer me!"

I was surprised when my mother rushed back in. The past Azazel turned revealing his colored eyes.

"It's you," Mom snarled.

"She knew you," I gasped.

Mom tried to get closer but the past Azazel slammed her against the wall. She began to slid up the wall whimpering in pain.

"No!" I screamed. "No!"

"I don't think you wanna see the rest of this," Azazel mused.

Azazel snapped his fingers and the nursery disappeared and I jolted awake in the abandoned house in South Dakota.

"What's going on?" I asked as Jake and Andy looked worried.

"Ava's missing," Jake groaned. "Okay, I'll take the barn and the hotel. Sam you take the houses. Andy stay here."

"Okay, we'll meet back here in ten minutes, okay?" I said.

"Alright," Andy nodded.

I tore off looking for Ava through the abandoned houses vaguely wondering if Hailey was holed up in one of them. I heard movement in one of the houses and moved to go into it when a sudden scream ripped through the quiet. I raced back to the house stumbling into the house to see Ava looking disgusted.

"Sam!" Ava sniffled pointing at Andy's body, which was ripped to shreds. "I just found him like this!"

"What happened?" I asked.

"I don't know!" Ava cried.

"How'd that thing get in?" I demanded. "Where were you?"

"I just went to get some water from the well" Ava sniffed. "I was only gone, maybe, like, two minutes!"

"You shouldn't have gone outside," I scolded. "Ava, we have to stay in here." I then noticed a break in the salt line on the window sill, "Who did that?"

"I don't know, maybe Andy," Ava shrugged.

"Andy wouldn't do that," I stated. "That salt line wasn't broken when I left, Ava."

"What am I trying to say?" Ava asked.

"What happened to you?" I retorted.

"Nothing!" Ava shouted.

I stared her down and before my eyes she morphed. She was no longer the spacey girl I had met all hose weeks ago. I don't know what she was now but I didn't like it.

"Had you going though, didn't I?" Ava laughed wiping her eyes. "Yeah, I've been here a while. And not alone, either. People just keep showing up. Children, like us. Batches of three or four at a time."

"You killed them?" I demanded. "All of them?"

"I'm the undefeated heavyweight champ," Ava smiled.

"Oh, my god," I muttered.

"Don't think God has much to do with this," Ava sneered.

"How could you?" I questioned.

"I had no choice," Ava retorted. "It was me or them. After a while, it was easy. It was even kind of fun. I just stopped fighting it."

"Fighting what?" I gaped.

"Who we are, Sam," Ava sighed. "If you quit your hand-wringing and open yourself up, you have no idea what you can do. The learning curve is so fast, it's crazy, the switches that just flip in your brain. I can't believe I started out just having dreams. Do you know what I can do now?"

"Control demons," I grumbled.

"Ah, you are quick on the draw," Ava smirked putting her hands to her head, "Yeah, I'm sorry, Sam. But it's over."

The demon began to form outside the window, a black cloud worming it's way through the break in the salt line. Just as it was about to come in I saw Jake standing behind her. He grabbed Ava and twisted her neck. I heard the snap of bone and the smoke disappeared. I moved walking outside. Jake followed after me but at this moment the only thought on my mind was getting out of here and finding Hailey. With the Acheri gone we should be fine. We'd hike to the nearest town and call Dean.

**Hailey's Point of View**

You know I'd really enjoying waking up without a headache. I groaned as I rose shakily to my feet. I saw Lucy and Abby sitting in the corner of a room. They looked like they wanted to talk. I rocked to my feet and ran out of the house. I knew that Sam had to be here. Where else would he be. We were both in the same place and he had passed out too. I was running around the in the area by the bell and then I sprinted past the bell towards the stables.

I saw Sam stumbling away from someone. He was clutching his arm and I knew he was hurt.

"Sammy!" I shouted.

"Hails!" Sam said.

The person that same had gotten up and grabbed something off the ground. Sam didn't hear it and I reacted immediately.

"Sammy, look out!" I screamed.

He turned a moment to late and the knife lodged in his back. I screamed as the knife made contact and suddenly Jake went soaring away, smacking hard into the ground. I ran towards Sam as he slumped to his knees.

"Oh, god, Sammy!" I sobbed running to his side.

His body was heavy as he was leaning on mine and tears were pouring out of my eyes as I gently touched the wound. Blood coated my hand and I whimpered.

"It's going to be okay, Sammy," I whispered.

But it wasn't going to be okay before Sam was dying in my arms and Jake was slowly crawling away. No, this couldn't be happening, Sam couldn't die. Not now, not after all of this. I let out a low mournful scream. I was loosing everyone I loved. Sam, Trevor, Dad, and my mother it was too much, I felt something crack as Sam's body went completely limp.

"No," I screamed. "No!"

Sam couldn't hear me and I doubt anyone could and then I heard it. People talking in the distance and it wasn't Abby or Lucy. It was my brothers. I continued to sob when a sudden voice filled my mind.

"If you don't want those useless brothers of yours to die, I'd get up and follow in the direction Jake was going," Azazel ordered. "Now, Hailey."

"Sam!" Dean shouted his voice echoing off the buildings, "Sammy!"

"Go, Hailey or I'll make sure Dean and Aiden live along enough to know what they're hearts taste like," Azazel threatened.

I stumbled up and away from Sam, sobbing as I ran in the direction that Jake had crawled. Tears never stopped streaming to eyes as I ran faster than I ever thought I could. That was all I was right now, a movement. I couldn't think, couldn't feel, with the exception of my sneakers echoing in the distance and the burn of my muscles working. Mom, Dad, Trevor, and now Sam. Who would be next? All I knew was this demon had die before I had no one left. The first person I was going to make sure felt as much pain as possible was this Jake person. Sam had spared his life and I wasn't about to make the same mistake.


	25. Damages Done

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Damages Done**

"_Evil brings out the best in her…"_

**Dean's Point of View**

"Sam!" I shouted, "Sammy!"

"Sam!" Natasha and Aiden called.

"God damn it, Sam," I fumed. "Answer us!"

"Oh, no," Bobby hissed.

My brows knitted together as I followed Bobby's stricken gaze. There was a crumbled form a few yards away from us. I had been able to sense my brother my entire life and I knew that who it was instantly.

"Sammy!" I screamed breaking into a dead sprint.

Aiden and Natasha were at my heels as I dropped to my knees grabbing Sam off the ground. His head was lolling to the side and his body was limp. I maneuvered Sam so that his head was on my shoulder as I looked for an injury. When my hand landed in the middle of Sam's back and it came back wet, blood coated my entire hand, my heart clenched before dropping straight into my stomach.

"No," Aiden gasped falling to his knees beside me. "Oh, god, no. Sammy, please, wake up."

"Look at me," I hissed sharply grabbing the front of Aiden's sweatshirt and dragged him towards me. "We're going to fix this. It's not even that bad."

"He was stabbed in the back," Aiden yelled. "We can't fix this, Dean!"

"Shut up, Aiden," I growled.

"No, Dean!" Aiden screamed his eyes were wild and he was verging on hysterics as tears streamed freely down his face. "You're fucking delusional if you think we can fix this. That you can make this better. Sam's ice cold, Dean!"

It happened in an instant I didn't even realized what had happened. Aiden's head snapped to the side, a brilliant red mark blooming on his right cheek, Natasha gasped and Aiden looked at me with betrayed and tearful hazel green eyes. He sat back on his haunches and stared at Sam's body, which hadn't reacted in the fight. I couldn't believe it but Sam was gone.

"Dean," Bobby whispered his eyes were moist as tears threatened to fall, "we should get him out of here."

"Oh, no," Natasha whimpered.

"What's wrong?" Aiden asked.

"Hailey," Natasha hissed.

My brain had been foggy since I had found Sam. He was the only one on my mind but my sister's name was like ice water to the face and instantly I remembered that we had found Sam but Hailey was still MIA.

"Where is she?" I demanded.

"She was here," Natasha stated her eyes glazed as she linked with Hailey, "She watched Sam die, she saw who did it and she lost it."

"Where is she now?" Aiden growled.

"Following Sam's murderer," Natasha said. "We have to find her before she does something she regrets."

"You're implying that she's going to regret killing the person that murdered our brother?" Aiden snapped.

"No, Aiden," Natasha retorted coming out of her stupor," I'm implying that your sister is the least violent person I know until she looses control. She nearly cut someone's balls off in the Roadhouse after they hit her three weeks after your father died. What do you think she's capable of when the boy she loved and her older brother died within the space of a week?"

**Hailey's Point of View**

I was still running. I didn't even know how it was possible but I was running, faster than I ever thought I could. I ran as if my life depended on it but it was really only my sanity. As long as my feet hit the concrete and my lungs burned; it gave me something else to focus on because lurking just under the surface was insurmountable grief. Loosing my parents was one thing, I barely remembered my mother and I never truly associated my father of being what he was supposed to be. His death left a hole I wasn't aware of and it ached everyday. But, the hole that Trevor left was bigger, and it mocked me of an attachment that I didn't even realize went deep down to the bone. It was different now, Sam's death was too much to bear. It showed me that my brother's weren't immortal. They were just as fragile as I was. Dean's accident had showed me that but Sam's death hammered the point home. They protected me from anything and everything but I couldn't save Sam, my abilities reacted too late and he had paid the price.

Aiden and Dean had found him, I was betting. I wonder how'd they handle all of this, probably no better than me. I had left Sam alone, I had left his body alone. I had ran away and I had been running ever since, not stopping or slowing down, sprinting in a direction that I didn't even know was the right one. There were two thoughts on my mind: the first was finding the person who had killed Sam and the second was putting as much distance between Cold Oak and I as I could.

Sam was gone. I couldn't believe that Sammy was gone. Did the fates just have to take everyone I loved? Trevor and Sam? My parents. I only had Dean and Aiden and I'd be damned if they got hurt because of me. My curse was not going to affect anyone else I cared about. I wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt because of me. The last person who would fall in the long line of casualties as a direct result of me would be Jake. After Jake was gone I'd fall of the grid, making sure nothing ever hurt my family again.

It had taken four hours but I finally tracked Jake down. He had found an abandoned campground. Wood was burning off the fire that Jake had made and he was fast asleep. I crept closer into the camp, grinning, Sam's death was about to be avenged. When I got close enough, I shook my hand at the fire extinguishing it in seconds and Jake was startled awake. Unfortunately for him he woke up a moment too late, showing that not even the army could duplicate the sense of a Winchester. I couldn't sneak up on any of my brothers' even when they were sleeping.

With a gust of wind the fire sparked back up and Jake jumped as the fire cast sinister shadows all over my body, turning every move I made into a more threatening form. He gasped when he saw me and immediately struggled to get up. I raised my hand and Jake was slammed back, pinned against the rock by my abilities.

"What the hell?" Jake groaned. "How did you find me?"

"It's called tracking, short bus," I sneered. "Names Hailey Winchester. I believe you met my big brother, Sam?"

Recognition and a spark of fear shone in Jake's eyes and I walked closer to him, circling my prey with unabashed relish.

"Tell me, how did it feel stabbing him in the back like a little coward?" I hissed. "Did they teach you that in the war?"

"Let me go," Jake growled.

"Oh, is that an order, soldier boy?" I taunted.

"It's more of a friendly request," Jake snarled. "Let me go."

"Why don't you make me," I retorted. "Oh, right you can't."

I pulled three of my throwing knives out of my pocket. They were serrated and sharp and they were obedient. I did the trick that I had learned with Trevor, dropping the knives. They would've fallen to the ground if my abilities hadn't stepped in, soaring through the air. One made itself comfortable at the hollow of Jake's throat, the other one went dangerously close to Jake's pupil and the last one went back into my outstretched hand.

"What are you?" Jake gasped after my little display.

"Don't you know?" I responded.

"You." Jake realized. "You're the girl who threw me thirty feet into the air without even touching me."

"Oh, Jakey, that's the least of what I'm going to do to you," I smirked and before Jake could say a word the knife in my hand slid down his arm, cutting the skin without me even putting pressure on the blade. "You see, Sam didn't get to beg but I _promise_ you will."

"You don't understand," Jake tried to reason.

"No," I corrected sharply, the knives by his throat and eye twitching as my tone became dangerously calm, "You're the one who doesn't understand. He spared your life and you repaid the favor by killing him. Do you have any honor? Do you have any self-respect?"

"The yellow-eyed demon told me that there can only be one," Jake exclaimed as two more cuts joined the first one on his arm.

"No, you both could've gotten out," I snarled. "But you decided to save your own skin. Look out for number one."

"And how did you stay alive?" Jake snapped.

"I defended myself," I snarled. "You're the one who attacked without reason. The one who was spineless enough to stab someone in the back."

"You don't want to do something you might regret," Jake tried to soothe.

"Regret?" I laughed and then snickered as another knife joined the fray. Only this time it was Jake's knife, that zoomed out of his pocket and cut his cheek before imbedding itself into his chest. "You don't know the first thing about me or my family."

"You're not a killer," Jake cried, wincing as blood flowed freely from his wounds.

"You're right, Jake," I sighed. "I wasn't a killer until this moment. Here's a little background information. My mother died when I was six months old, my father was barely there for my childhood but my brothers always were. Sam always was and you took him away from me. And not only did you kill him spinelessly, you killed my brother four days after my boyfriend was murdered by the very thing you decided to listen too."

"Hailey…"

"Shut. Up." I screamed.

"Well it looks like you two are getting along splendidly," A joyful voice laughed. "I'm not interrupting or anything, am I?"

I growled turning on my hill to see Azazel perched on the rock opposite the one that Jake was trapped on. He took in the scene before he looked at me.

"You're a lot stronger than I gave you credit for, Hails," Azazel praised. "Look at the control you have over your abilities. Your generation is definitely the strongest, albeit most willful. Put the knives down, Hailey."

"Or what?" I hissed.

"Or you live long enough to see your brothers die," Azazel shrugged.

"You touch them and I'll kill you both," I snarled.

"Last chance, Hailey," Azazel responded.

I huffed as I held out my hands catching the four knives with ease as they came back to me. I pocketed three of them before slamming Jake's knife back into his wound. He grunted in pain as I slipped down onto the remaining rock.

"Well Jake you've certainly got your hands full," Azazel smirked as he watched as Jake pulled the knife out of his shoulder grimacing all the while.

"You're leaving me with her?" Jake asked.

"Scared?" I grinned.

"What's wrong, Jake?" Azazel sneered. "You can fight in Afghanistan but you can't handle an unruly eighteen year old?"

"Go to hell," Jake growled.

"Been there," Azazel smirked. "Done that."

"Everything you put me through, dragging me to that place making me kill those people…" Jake trailed off staring daggers at Azazel.

"All part of the beauty pageant," Azazel shrugged, "Jake, I needed the strongest, and that's you. Congratulations, Jake, you're the last man standing. The American Idol. I have to admit you weren't the horse I was betting on, but still, I gotta give it to you."

"Needed me for what?" Jake whispered.

"Oh, I have a laundry list of things you both need to do," Azazel grinned.

"The only thing I'm going to do is kill you," Jake snarled.

"You know, others have tried, it's not easy," Azazel said. "Trust me, Jake, you wanna be a good little soldier here."

"And if I'm not?" Jake asked.

"If you're a bad little soldier, well, that dear old mom of yours, that adorable little sister, I'll make certain they both live long enough to know the chewy taste of their own intestines," Azazel stated. "And I'm not bluffing."

"What do you want us to do?" Jake asked.

"Good doggy," I muttered rolling my eyes.

**Aiden's Point of View**

It just wasn't fair why did all of the bad things happen to us? First we had lost both our parents and now Sam? And, now Hailey was MIA and we had no clue where she was or what she was doing. Natasha had said that she was going to kill the person responsible and I didn't feel guilty because that person deserved whatever Hailey inflicted.

We had decided to get a motel room instead of staying at Bobby's house. Dean and I hadn't slept since we had found Sam. Bobby had come with food but it sat untouched as I stared down at Sam's corpse. His corpse because Sam Winchester, my big brother was gone and he had destroyed Dean in the process. I had feel asleep for a few minutes and in that space of time Dean had left in a frenzy screaming, "What am I supposed to do?!" The impala had started up a few minutes later driving erratically out of the parking lot.

"Sam, I'm so sorry," I whimpered dropping down onto the chair that was placed by his bed, "I never made life easy for you and I'm sorry. You went to Stanford and I followed on your coattails, shared an apartment with you. When you found me taking coke, you're reaction was not one I had anticipated. I thought you'd be angry and disappointed but you understood and didn't condemn me. You helped me get clean and I shoved it in your face a few months ago and once again you weren't angry. Nope, Dean was, I had never seen him so angry. I just, we needed you, Sam. I mean, we need you now. You kept Dean in line and without you, what are we gonna do? The entire family will fall apart. I don't know what to do. Dean is beside himself and Hailey. God, Sammy, we don't even know where Hailey is, if she's even okay."

I choked on a sob as I placed my face in my hands. My body was wracked with sobs as I allowed myself to mourn over my brother. The one who I never thought I'd lose. Part of me thought that I should just get use to it. No one ever said that the Winchester family wasn't cursed. After all the facts spoke for themselves. We had two psychics in the family and people close to us were dropping like flies. I heard a startled pain filled gasp and l squeaked despite myself. Sam who had been dead for two days was suddenly moving. I shot out of the chair and moved away from Sam watching him suspiciously.

"Aiden?" Sam groaned.

"Sam?" I gaped.

With slow movements, Sam eased himself out of bed, his hands flying to the wound on his back. He winced stumbling to the mirror and attempting to look at it. I gasped aloud when I saw that the deep cut, severing Sam's spine was gone, leaving an angry red scar in his wake.

"Aiden, what's wrong?" Sam asked.

"Sammy," I whispered.

Before Sam could comment further on my weird behavior, I had closed the distance between us and hugged him. Sam groaned at the contact, his muscles had to have been protesting but he reluctantly wrapped his arms around me. The moment was shattered when the door to the motel room slammed open, with Dean rushing inside kicking the door closed as he walked.

"Sammy," Dean whispered.

"Hey, Dean," Sam greeted.

His eyes widened in surprise when Dean pulled him into an embrace.

"Ow, uh, Dean?" Sam groaned.

"I'm sorry, man," Dean grimaced. "I'm just happy to see you up and around, that's all. Come on, sit down."

Dean led Sam over to the table where the food was still spread out. Dean sat across from him and then shot me a get-your-ass-over-here look. I trailed obediently over to the table and sat down on the other side of Sam.

"What happened to me?" Sam asked.

"What do you remember?" Dean questioned.

"I saw Hailey," Sam murmured, "and…I felt this pain. This sharp pain like white-hot, and she screamed out and that's it."

"Someone stabbed you in the back," Dean replied.

"But, Dean, you can't patch up a wound that bad," Sam said.

"No, but Bobby could," Dean stated. "Who did it?"

"His names Jake," Sam sneered. "Did you get him?"

"No, by the time we got there both Hailey and Jake were gone," Dean sighed.

"What?" Sam demanded rising to his feet, "Dean we have to find her."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Dean scolded gently forcing Sam to sit back down, "Easy there, Sammy. You just woke up, all right? Let's get you something to eat, huh? You want something to eat?" When Sam nodded Dean grinned, "I'm starving."

I watched as Sam and Dean ate some of the pizza and chicken knowing that if Sam was still dead than there would be no reason why we would be eating right now. There, was a nagging feeling in my gut that Sam didn't rise by himself. There were a few things that could bring a person back to life. Actually, I only knew one way to bring someone back after they died. It was to make a deal with a demon.

Normally that happened at crossroads where pacts were made. The normal deal would last ten years and the demon would give you whatever you wanted. The only repercussion of that was the demon got your soul and you went to hell. Dad had made a deal to save Dean's life and he was in hell. Who knows what was happening to him and there was nothing we could do. If Dad's deal was messed with Dean would die and I wondered if it the same would be for Dean's deal. At least if a deal had been made.

"Junior!" Dean snapped.

I startled out of my reverie and gazed wide-eyed at Dean.

"You going to eat?" Dean prodded.

"Not hungry," I muttered.

"I didn't ask if you were hungry," Dean said. "I told you to eat. When was the last time you ate something?"

"Dunno," I shrugged.

"_Aiden_," Dean warned.

I huffed rolling my eyes as I grabbed a piece of chicken out of the bucket and taking a huge bite. When Dean finally adverted his gaze I put the piece of chicken down looking at Sam.

"What happened?" I asked.

"It was a competition," Sam said. "The demon said he only wanted one of us to walk out alive."

"He told you that?" Dean questioned.

"Yeah," Sam scoffed. "He appeared in a dream."

"He tell you anything else?" I asked.

"Nope," Sam said. "That was it, nothing else. You know, what I don't get, Dean? If the demon only wanted one of us, then how did Jake and I both get away?"

"Well, I mean, they left you or dead. I'm sure they thought it was over," Dean lied taking a large bite of pizza, "So now that Yellow Eyes has Jake, what's he going to do with him?"

"No idea," Sam shrugged. "But whatever it is we have to stop him."

"Wyoming," I groaned. "Dean, he's going to Wyoming!"

"What are you talking about?" Sam questioned.

"In Wyoming, Samuel Colt has five frontier churches that have private railway line connecting church to church. It makes a hundred square mile Devil's trap. No demon can get across," I explained

"Here's a thought," Dean grimaced. "What if Colt wasn't trying to keep demons out? What if he was trying to keep something in?"

"That's great," I fumed.

"You think?" Dean retorted.

"It's powerful," I said. "There's no way a full-blood demon gets across."

"No," Sam agreed. "But I know who could."

"We'll call Bobby, he'll take care of it," Dean said.

"What?" Sam cried. "We have to stop him, Dean!"

"You need you're rest," Dean said. "We have time."

"No we don't," Sam snapped.

"The other hunters have a handle on this, Sam," Dean growled. "You almost died back there. Take care of yourself for a little bit, huh?"

"I'm sorry," Sam whispered. "No."

I felt Dean growl low in his throat as Sam packed up his stuff. Seconds later we were ready to had towards Wyoming. Bobby, Ellen, Natasha, and Jo had already been notified and were going to meet us there. I just hoped that wherever Jake was Hailey wasn't far behind. I just wondered how Natasha and Bobby would react to seeing Sam up and moving.

**Hailey's Point of View**

"You know this whole silent and brooding thing is really making this trip uncomfortable," Jake mused.

We had stolen a car as soon as we could. I didn't recognize the area around me, which wasn't remotely helpful. I knew we were definitely out of South Dakota and I wondered where we were supposed to be going next. We had stopped to get Lucy and Abby but they weren't adding anything to the conversation either.

"Oh, gee, I'm so sorry Jake," I sneered. "We wouldn't want this to be uncomfortable. Blame Azazel, if he hadn't stopped me you wouldn't be feeling much of anything right now."

I got out of the car, slamming the door in the process as Lucy and Abby followed suit. If this had been different circumstances Lucy, Abby, and I could've been close. I could tell they felt the same way about all of this.

"Look," Jake growled rounding on me, "you did what you had to do to get here and so did I. You think that the people you killed had families. You're not special, Winchester."

"You're right, they probably did have families," I replied. "But, unlike them. I killed them in self-defense. You stabbed Sam in the back and nothing is going to stop me from settling the score."

I was unprepared for when Jake suddenly backhanded me across the jaw. My head snapped to the left as my eyes watered in pain.. I reacted instantly lunging at Jake hardest punch that I could throw. He landed hard on the ground with me right on top of him. I grabbed one of my knives and when I went to stab him, Abby and Lucy pried me away from him.

"How was the trip?" Azazel asked immediately turning our attention from each other to him.

"We're here," I snapped. "Now what?"

"Fifty miles that away," Azazel ordered pointing over the train tracks. "There's a cemetery. A crept. You got to open that. Think you all can manage that?"

"You know what?" Jake hissed. "Screw you and your freaky orders. Go do it yourself."

"Oh, I can't," Azazel winced. "I can't go that way not yet."

"Iron," I whispered. "The tracks are made of iron and you can't cross."

"Yeah, you're the smart one," Azazel grinned. "But you all are gonna open that crypt for me, you're gonna need a key."

My eyes widened in surprise as Azazel pulled out the Colt from his jacket pocket and held it in the air.

"A gun?" Jake sneered.

"Oh, this isn't any gun," Azazel smirked. "This is the only gun in the whole universe that can shoot me dead."

"Is that so?" Jake said.

"Yep," Azazel grinned. "Here take it." I rolled my eyes as Jake took the gun and immediately cocked the gun and aimed it at Azazel, "Oh, my, I'm shocked at this unforeseen turn of events. Go ahead, Jake, squeeze that trigger be all you can be. This will all be over, your life can go back to normal. Of course, the Army won't take you back because you're AWOL, but, I'm sure you could get your old job at the factory back. But then, on the other hand, the rest of your life, and your family's, could be money and honey, health and wealth, every day is ice-cream sundae. And all you gotta do is this one little thing."

"Why me?" Jake demanded. "Why can't they do it."

"Because you're my leader," Azazel answered. "And you open that crypt, and you will have your army."

"You're talking about the end of the world," I protested.

"Oh, it's not the end," Azazel disagreed. "It's the beginning, a better world where all of you and your family will be protected. More than that. They'll be royalty."

"Fine," Jake answered.

Abby, Lucy, and I shared a look. It seemed as though I wasn't the only one with a background in the Supernatural because they didn't seem at all swayed by Azazel's promises. Jake on the other hand was greedily feeding out of the palm of his hand. Taking the gun and pocketing it he got back in the car, giving us no other choice but to follow after him.

By the time we got to the cemetery it was nighttime. Abby. Lucy, and I followed after Jake as he led us towards the giant crypt located right in the middle of the graveyard. I saw something move out of the corner of my eye and I fought a relieved sigh. Dean was here which meant that, more than likely so was Aiden along with a lot of other hunters. We stood by the crypt as Jake moved up to it.

"Howdy, Jake," A familiar voice greeted.

"Sam?" I whimpered.

I was dumbfounded, there was no way that Sam could be alive. He had died in my arms. I looked around noticing that Sam wasn't alone. Bobby, Ellen, Dean, Aiden, Jo, and Natasha came out of the shadows. I looked immediately to Natasha but she avoided my gaze keeping her gun trained on Jake who was staring at Sam like he had seen a ghost.

"You were dead," Jake gaped. "I killed you."

"Yeah?" Sam sneered. "Well next time finish the job."

"I did!" Jake snarled. "I cut clean through your spinal cord, man." At that Sam looked at Dean and I looked at him to wondering how the hell Sam could even be walking around right now. "You can't be alive. You can't be."

"Okay, just take it real easy there, son," Bobby soothed.

"Do what he says," I shouted.

"Bitch you're the one who has to be listening to my orders not the other way around," Jake seethed.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Aiden shouted.

"Stay out of this," Jake hissed before turning back to me and once again backhanded me across the face. When I moved to retaliate Abby and Lucy restrained me.

"Don't, Hailey, "Abby soothed. "He could kill you."

"Just take it easy," Bobby tried again.

"And if I don't?" Jake hissed.

"Wait and see," Sam snarled.

"What, you a tough guy all of a sudden?" Jake taunted. "What are you gonna do, kill me?"

"It's a thought," Sam stated.

"You had your chance," Jake rolled his eyes, "you couldn't."

I growled low in my throat as I grabbed the knives out of my pocket. Once again Abby and Lucy blocked me from getting my hands on Jake and for some reason my telekinesis wasn't working. Sam looked at me before glaring at Jake, "I won't make the same mistake twice."

"What are you smiling at, you little bitch?" Dean demanded.

Jake laughed turning his attention to Ellen, "Hey Lady, do me a favor, put that gun to your head." I gasped when Ellen shakily put the gun to her temple, "See that Ava girl was right. Once you give into it, there's all sorts of new Jedi mind tricks you can learn."

"Let her go," Sam ordered.

"Shoot him," Ellen groaned her voice trembling as well as her arm.

"You'll be mopping up skull before you get a shot down," Jake warned. "Everyone, put your guns down. Except you, sweetheart."

All the guns drop as they stare daggers at him, "Thank you."

I watched as Jake turned around and pulled the Colt out of his pocket. He quickly put the gun in the center of the crypt where there was some sort of locking mechanism on it. Dean and Bobby lunged toward Ellen pulling the gun just before she could shoot herself. Suddenly Sam was right next to me shooting Jake four times in the back. Jake crumbled to the ground and Sam moved to position himself in front of him.

"Please," Jake whimpered. "Please…don't. Please!"

"I told you that you'd get to beg," I snarled lowly right before Sam fired three more shots into Jake's chest.

I planted a vicious kick into Jake's side before watching as two separate engravings on the crypt in different directions before both suddenly stopped.

"Oh, no," Bobby hissed.

"What is it?" Ellen asked.

"It's hell," Bobby responded.

Dean reached forward and grabbed the Colt out of the crypt.

"Take cover," Bobby ordered. "NOW!"

My eyes widened in surprise at Bobby's tone but my body jumped into action because when a guy like Bobby yelled he meant whatever he said. All of us ran hiding behind tombstones for cover. When the crypt burst open it did so with a bang. I watched horrified as a large, black mass erupted from the other side and shot forwards into the sky.

"What the hell just happened?" Dean demanded.

"That's a devil's gate," Ellen explained. "A damn door to hell."

"Oh, my god," I hissed.

"Come on!" Ellen ordered. "We have to shut that gate!"

I watched as Dean checked the Colt for bullets.

"If the demon gave this to Jake…then maybe…" Dean mused.

With a giant crash of thunder Azazel appeared right behind Dean. I attempted to run towards them but Azazel was faster flinging the Colt one day and Dean the other.

"A boy shouldn't play with Daddy's guns," Azazel taunted.

Dean's head cracked against the tombstone and I rushed towards him with Sam and Aiden on my heels. We all went flying, Aiden landed next to Dean while Sam and I were pinned to a tree.

"I'll get you in a minute champ," Azazel smiled at Sam. "But I'm proud of you, knew you had it in you."

Azazel then turned to Dean and Aiden, "Sit a spell." With that Dean and Aiden were pinned against the tombstone, "So, Dean, I got to thank you. You see, demons can't resurrect people unless a deal is made. I know, red tape, it'll drive you nuts. But thanks to you, Sammy's back in rotation. Now, I wasn't counting on that, but I'm glad. I liked him better than Jake anyhow, and getting your sister to listen him? A total nightmare. But tell me, have you ever heard the expression, 'If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is?""

"You call that deal good?" Dean snarked.

"It's a better shake than your dad ever got and you never wondered why?" Azazel questioned. "I'm surprised at you. I man, you saw what your brother just did to Jake, right? That was pretty cold, wasn't it? How certain are you that what you brought back was one hundred percent pure Sam. You of all people should know, that's what's dead, should stay dead. Anyway, thanks a bunch. I knew I kept you alive for some reason. Until now, anyway. I couldn't have done it without your pathetic, self-loathing, self-destructive desire to sacrifice yourself for your family."

What the fuck was going on? And then it made sense: the only reason Sam was walking around was because Dean made a deal. I wonder how long he got. Were they going to tell me? Did Sam know about this? I looked at Sam and judging by his face he had no idea. As Azazel cocked the Colt I realized that a black shape was forming behind Azazel and then it formed into a identifiable shape. It was dad and he moved quickly grabbed the demon right out of the person it was animating. The body fell to the ground with the gun still in its hand. Dad and the demon were wrestling in the grass as Dean scrambled forward grabbing the gun. The demon got the edge on dad and reentered the body it was possessing. When it stood up, Dean reacted instinctually firing the Colt. I watched anxiously as Azazel turned right into the bullet. He exploded in a blaze or red and white light while the body crumbled to the ground, dead.

Azazel was dead. Oh, my god. The demon we had spent my entire life hunting was finally gone never to mess with my family again and Dad was out of hell. He was fighting to stand up and that's when everything went back into normal speed. I watched as Ellen, Bobby, Natasha, Jo, Abby, and Lucy struggling to close the door. When it slammed shut I watched my father. I walked closer, crying softly. Dad laid his hand on Dean shoulder, smiling proudly. He then looked at Aiden, Sam, and I nodding to us. When Dad stepped back a white light engulfed the scene and just as quickly as Dad had shown up he was gone. I turned on my heel and looked down at the body that once held Azazel.

"Well, check that off the to-do list," Dean grinned.

"You did it," Sam whispered.

"I didn't do it alone," Dean replied.

"Do you think Dad really," I tried to ask. "Do you think he really climbed outta hell?"

"The door was open," Dean shrugged. "If anyone's stubborn enough to do it…it would be him."

"Where do you think he is now?" Sam asked.

"I don't know," Dean said.

"But he's not in hell," Aiden said. "That's the important thing"

"I can't believe it," Sam shook his head. "I mean our whole lives…everything has been prepping for this, and now I don't know what to say?"

"I do," Dean declared leaning closer to the body, "That was for our mom, you son of a bitch."

I abandoned any restraint I had against my emotion and threw myself into Sam's arms. He stumbled backwards slightly before picking me up. He thought I was just happy that the demon was dead. But all of that didn't matter as long as I had my big brother back. Each of us had a valuable role to play in our family and you never knew exactly how much each of us mattered, and functioned well together until a part of us was missing. I barely noticed that Sam was moving until we were right next to the impala. He placed me gently on the ground and Aiden pulled me into his side.

"Where've you been?" Aiden questioned.

"The demon threatened your lives, I did what I had too," I whispered.

"Hailey," Aiden sighed.

"I don't want to talk about it, Aiden," I whispered.

"Hails, Natasha told us some of what you were going to do to Jake," Aiden said.

"Aiden, please," I pleaded. "Not now."

Aiden made huffed before pulling me closer. I leaned against him as I watched Sam and Dean walk on ahead of us. The air around us was a mixture of euphoria and trepidation. Dean's deal was souring up what should've been an amazing moment. It was the one we had been waiting for our entire lives and now it happened. But I couldn't enjoy it because I was too happy about Sam being back and breathing but I didn't want Dean to go to hell.

"You know, when Jake saw me," Sam began, "it was like he saw a ghost. I mean, you heard him, Dean. He said he killed me."

"I'm glad he was wrong," Dean said.

"I don't think he was, Dean," Sam responded. "What happened after I was stabbed?"

"I already told you," Dean stated.

"Not everything," Sam retorted.

"Sam, we just killed the demon," Dean reproached. "Can we celebrate for a minute?"

"Did I die?" Sam whispered.

"Oh, come on," Dean growled.

"Did you sell your soul for me, like Dad did for you?" Sam questioned.

"Oh, come on!" Dean snapped. "No!"

"Tell me the truth," Sam spat. "Dean, tell me truth."

"Sam…" Dean chuckled although it wasn't a friendly sound.

"How long did you get?" Sam asked.

"One year," Dean sighed. "I got one year."

"You shouldn't have done that," Sam whimpered. "How could you do that?"

"Don't get mad at me. Don't you do that," Dean growled. "I had to look out for you. That's my job."

"And what do you think my job is?" Sam retorted.

"What?" Dean asked.

"You've saved my life over and over. I mean, you sacrifice everything for me. You sacrifice everything for us," Sam stated. "Don't you think I'd do the same for you? That we'd do the same thing for you. You're my big brother. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. And I don't care what it takes, I'm gonna get you out of this. Guess I gotta save your ass for a change."

"Yeah," Dean replied.

"Well...Yellow Eyed Demon might be dead," Ellen said approaching us. "But a lot more got through that gate."

"How many, you think?" Dean asked

"Hundred, maybe two hundred," Sam guess, "It's an army. He's unleashed an army."

"Hope to hell you guys are ready," Bobby grimaced. "'Cause the war has just begun."

"Well, then," Dean grinned tossing the Colt into the trunk of the impala, "We got work to do."

Damn straight we did because even though Azazel was dead, who knew what we had let out of hell. The though made my stomach flip but nothing, not even hell was going to keep my brothers and I apart. We'd get Dean out of his deal, we had too because whatever grief I felt when I thought I had lost Sam it was nothing compared to how we'd all feel if Dean was gone.


	26. Victim of Circumstance

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Victim of Circumstance**

"_Bottom line is even if you see them coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really, but it does. So, what are we, helpless? Puppets? Nope. The big moments are gonna come, you can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that count. That's when you find out who you are."_

"Are you going to talk to me?" Dean growled, knocking the book out of my hand, "Damn it, Hails, just say something!"

I looked up at him my eyes narrowing in annoyance. All of us were in the middle of reading _Dr. Faustus_, looking for ways to get Dean out of his deal. We had split from the others minutes after killing Azazel and now we were holed up in one giant motel suite and things weren't looking any better than they had then. Dean only had one year: 365 days…8,760 hours…525,600 minutes…31,536,000 seconds. In the end the numbers didn't mean anything if I was focusing on counting instead of enjoying the time we had with Dean. But by enjoying the time with Dean we were accepting the fact that in a year he would be in hell and that was just something that I couldn't do.

It was foolish at best, giving Dean the silent treatment while our days together were numbered. But I was angry at everything. I was angry that Dean had made a deal but I was happy that Sammy was okay. So, then I was angry at my own reaction. And who knows how we all would've been acting if Sam had actually stayed dead.

"Actually, you know what?" Dean grumbled turning away from me and shrugging on his jacket, "I'm out of here."

"Where are you going, Dean?" Sam sighed.

"Away from here," Dean muttered.

We all watched as Dean grabbed the car keys before preceding and slamming the door behind him. When he was gone Aiden and Sam turned to me with the same accusatory look on both their faces. Suddenly Aiden sprang to his feet, grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the chair I was sitting in.

"Aiden?" I growled attempting to shake him off of me.

He didn't say a word but his expression spoke volumes. His lips were pressed into a thin, angry line as he yanked me bodily out of the motel room, stifling Sam's protests with an angry slam of the door. Aiden didn't slow his movements as he dragged me away from our motel room and down the stairs, across the parking lot and into the park that was across the street. Whenever I attempted to disentangle myself from his grasp he'd stop long enough to shoot me a death glare before continuing his movements

"Aiden, what the fuck is you're problem?" I snapped.

"Why do you have to treat him like that?" Aiden retorted jerking the both of us to a sudden stop.

"Oh, wow, I'm so sorry, Aiden," I hissed before allowing my voice to take on a high pitched girlish squeak, "Like, I didn't know that like going to hell was such a good thing."

The sound of flesh striking flesh was loud and sudden in the peaceful stillness of the park. I didn't have time to recover from the hit before Aiden had pinned me against a tree. Before he could say a word I swung my hand to slap him back but he caught it seconds it would've landed. Sapphire blue eyes locked on hazel green in a heated gaze.

"You ever hit me again and I swear they won't find your _fucking_ body!" I seethed.

"I'm not afraid of you," Aiden responded. His voice was light despite his steely gaze and tight grip on my wrist that kept my slap from connecting.

My eyes narrowed and I moved quickly. Turning into Aiden's hold and throwing him over my shoulder. He landed hard and before he could react I had pinned him to the ground. Because of the weight and height difference I couldn't stop him as he rolled and then I was the one that was pinned to the ground. He held my wrists over my head and I squirmed trying to move from the pin.

"Get off me!" I growled.

"No," Aiden yelled. "Dean is going to hell in one year, Hay, and you're going to waste it by being pissed at him."

"We're going to get him out of it!" I hissed as I bucked against his hold.

"And if we don't?" Aiden grunted after a particularly hard kick to his side. "Will you be able to live with that?"

"Stop it, Aiden," I warned.

"He's my brother too," Aiden replied. "One year is nothing, Hay. It isn't so if you're going to spend it by being angry then that's your decision but I'll be damned if you being a little brat is going to start effecting all of us."

"Let. Me. Go!" I yelled.

I didn't wait for him to let me go when I flipped over sending Aiden flying again. When I began to walk away, he grabbed my ankle knocking me back to the ground. I smacked him away and pulled myself back to my feet.

"Back off," I growled.

"No," Aiden snapped. "Don't you see this it's effecting all of us? So, either talk to me or just stop."

"No," I whispered.

"Stop trying to walk away from this, Hailey," Aiden said grabbing my wrist as I brushed past him.

"Stop trying to get me to talk," I 0rdered.

"Hay," Aiden sighed.

"No, Aiden, why don't you share how you're feeling?" I replied. "Huh?"

"I think it sucks," Aiden said. "There was no easy way to do this and now either way we're going to lose a brother. I know how you were when Sam died because I was the exact same way. And now Dean's going to hell and we've read nearly every book we can find trying to find a way to break this but what if we can't and Dean goes to hell?"

"We're going to find a way," I hissed.

"We might," Aiden groaned. "But we might not and I'm not going to feel guilty if I spend anytime holding this over Dean's head because we need Sam just as much as we need Dean."

I shook my head and looked at the ground attempting to hide the fact that my eyes were filling with tears. Aiden knew without even looking and used his grip on my wrist to pull me into his chest. My head tucked under his chin. I trembled in his arms as I fought the millions of emotions swirling just under the surface: relieve, anxiousness, anger, sadness, and euphoria. Although, sadness was pretty much the dominant emotion because I just couldn't fathom a day where Dean just wasn't here. And it wasn't even the fact that he wouldn't be here it was the fact that he'd be in hell. We didn't know anything about hell except that it was horrible and unimaginable and now Dean was going there.

Within the confines of Aiden's arms I felt nearly as protected as when I was with Dean. Aiden tightened his hold on me as I began to sob. My tears dampened his sweatshirt as my hands fisted the fabric.

"I know, Hailey," Aiden soothed his deep voice washing over me attempting to soothe my ruffled feathers. "I do. It'll be okay, I promise."

"How can any of this be okay?" I sobbed.

"I don't know," Aiden confessed and with that I cried harder and he held me tighter.

There was a brutal reality that I had yet been faced with. People died all the time, that was just how things happened. Good people, bad people we all died eventually. We all lost people eventually. But, the brutal reality was that no matter what you did, what difference you made, how many people we helped, you died. You lost people you cared about and no matter what you did you couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop the demon from killing my mother, or my father, or Trevor. And, with every book I read, with every answer I couldn't find, I was slowly losing the hope I had of finding a loophole in the deal that Dean had made.

It was something that you saw in older hunters: a sense of overwhelming sadness hidden deep within their eyes that you could just feel from every move they made. It shouldn't happen with people who were as young as my brothers and I. But, we had seen things and felt pain that not everyone could handle and we kept going even when everyone expected us to falter.

"She okay?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Aiden muttered. "What are you doing here?"

"Dean came back with company," Sam shrugged.

"Ew," I grimaced.

"Where are we supposed to stay?" I sniffed.

"How about we get some dinner?" Aiden suggested.

"I'm not hungry," Sam sighed. "I'm just gonna sit in the impala."

"Call if you need anything," Aiden said as he led me towards the center of town.

The door hit the bell on the threshold of ceiling as Aiden opened the door for me. Our waitress pointed us to a both in the back and Aiden and I ate quietly. We ordered the normal thing: burgers with fries. I sighed as I took a bite of my cheeseburger before nibbling on a fry.

"You need to eat," Aiden scolded softly.

"I am eating," I frowned.

"You know what I mean, Hay," Aiden replied.

I shook my head and picked at another fry. I felt Aiden's eyes burning a hole in the top of my head.

"What happened in Cold Oak?" Aiden asked.

I visibly flinched before looking at Aiden with round blue eyes.

"I know you've been having nightmares," Aiden stated. "You haven't slept a full night since everything in Wyoming."

I shook my head not lifting my eyes from my still full plate.

"I'm not an idiot, Hailey," Aiden growled. "And you can't keep it all inside. You're not dad."

"I don't want to talk about it," I muttered.

"Who is Bella?" Aiden demanded. "You keep begging her to stop and then you begin apologizing."

"I killed her because she was trying to kill me," I sighed.

"Hay, you did what you could to protect herself," Aiden said.

"I snapped her neck," I replied. "I snapped her neck so brutally, I damn near tore it off."

"It was a battle," Aiden said. "There's casualties."

"I'd never seen anything like it," I shuddered.

As Aiden began to retort his phone rang cutting him off before he could. I sighed as Aiden had a rapid fire conversation with Sam. Apparently Bobby had news and we were going to meet.

"Let's go, they're coming to get us now," Aiden said throwing some money on the table.

I followed after him throwing on my sweatshirt. It was raining lightly and I used the hood to keep me mostly dry. When the impala swerved into the parking lot five minutes later, Aiden and I closed the distance leaping into the backseat. I waited for Sam and Dean to catch us up to speed, instead of that conversation there was a different one.

"Let me see your knife," Sam muttered.

"What for?" Dean asked.

I immediately noticed that Dean was practically glowing and Sam looked disgusted. I smiled already predicting what had happened.

"So I can gouge my eyes out," Sam replied.

"It was a beautiful, natural act, Sam," Dean chuckled.

"It's a part of you I never wanted to see, Dean," Sam grimaced.

"Hey, I appreciate you giving me a little quality time with the Double mint twins," Dean said.

"You're revolting," I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, you're talking to me now?" Dean asked pinning me with a look in the rearview mirror.

I crossed my arms and slouched back in my seat.

"What's Bobby got?" Aiden asked.

"Not much," Sam sighed. "Crop failure and a cicada swarm outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. Now, it could be demonic omens…"

"Or it could just be a bad crop and a bug problem," Dean said.

"It's our only lead," Sam frowned.

"Any freaky deaths?" Dean asked.

"Not that Bobby could find," Sam said. "Not yet anyway."

"It's weird, man," Dean sighed. "I mean, the night the Devil's gat opened, all these weirdo storm clouds were sighted over how many cities?"

"Seventeen," Sam answered.

"Seventeen," Dean mused. "You'd think it would be _Apocalypse Now_, but it's been five days and bubkes. What are the demons waiting for?"

"Their leader," I whispered at the same time Sam said, "Beats me."

"It's driving me crazy," Dean groaned. "I tell you, if it's gonna be war, I wish it would just start already."

"I don't know, man," Sam grimaced. "Careful what you wish for."

I sighed as I squirmed in my seat moving my feet into Aiden's lap as I settled into the impalas seat. Aiden pulled off my shoes tossing them to the ground as he got more comfortable. Slowly I fell asleep only waking up when the impala began to slow. I must've been fast asleep because Dean was eating a cheeseburger. I rubbed at my eyes and looked at the clock it was nearly ten in the morning. I stumbled out of the impala joining my brothers by Bobby's car.

"You hear those cicadas?" Sam asked.

"That can't be a good sign," Dean grimaced.

"No," Sam sighed, "no it can't."

"We're eating bacon cheeseburgers for breakfast, are we?" Bobby questioned.

"Well, I sold my soul," Dean smirked taking a big bite of the burger, "got a year to live. I ain't sweating the cholesterol."

I opened my mouth to say something when Aiden elbowed me in the side. I glowered up at him and moved away rubbing my side, that was uncalled for.

"So, Bobby, what do you think?" Sam asked. "We got a biblical plague here, or what?"

"Let's find out," Bobby said. "Looks like the swarm is ground zero."

With Bobby in the lead we followed after him, approaching the house. Dean knocked on the door loudly shouting, "Candy gram!"

There was no answer and Dean grabbed his lock picks and quickly opened the door. We all had our guns drawn but the one thing we didn't expect was the smell. It was disgusting and I gagged covering my nose.

"That's awful," Sam gasped.

"That so can't be a good sign," Dean whispered.

"Nope," Sam agreed.

We continued searching the house, splitting up as we searched the room. Most of the rooms were empty and that was when we heard the muffled screaming from the other room. Together we moved towards the door and opened it quickly rushing inside with guns drawn.

"Oh, my god," Sam gaped.

"Ugh," I muttered.

The first thing we saw was three people sitting on the couch. Well, technically speaking, three rotting corpses sitting on the couch. It was a husband, a wife, and a son. They were still wearing their clothes but they had wasted away in front of the television. Flies were all over them and the room. Bobby entered a few seconds later and grimaced.

"Bobby, what the hell?" Aiden asked.

"I don't know," Bobby answered truthfully.

"Check for sulfur," Dean ordered us.

We moved instantly to do what Dean had ordered. A few minutes into the search Dean whistled lowly and when we all looked towards him he gestured for us to get away from the window. I moved quickly and watched as Dean walked out the door and around to the front porch, gun in hand. When I heard a thud, I moved quickly ducking Aiden's restraining arm and running to find the source of the noise. I saw Dean on the ground with two people standing over him and I reacted immediately aiming my gun at the two. Bobby's voice startled me but I didn't lower my weapon.

"Isaac?" Bobby asked. "Tamara?"

Bobby came to stand next to me and lowered my gun. I glared at him sharply and he stared back. I huffed and went to help Dean stand up as Isaac and Tamara began to talk. It never ceased to amaze me exactly how many people Bobby knew. Aiden and Sam came out to join as and they helped me get Dean back on his feet. He nose was bloodied and I shoved some tissues into his hand.

After Bobby's conversation, we followed Bobby's mustang to some house a few miles away. I couldn't tell whether it was Isaac and Tamara's house or the place that they were squatting. I followed after my brothers not really trusting these people who had attacked Dean without reason.

"Honey where's the Palo Santo?" Isaac asked.

We had been in the house for a few minutes but I refused to leave Aiden and Sam's side. Dean was on the phone with the coroner's tech.

"Palo Santo?" Sam queried.

"It's holy wood from Peru," Tamara explained. "It's toxic to demons, like holy water. It keeps the bastards nailed down while you're exorcising them."

She handed a wooden stake to Isaac.

"Thank you, dear," Isaac smiled.

"You'd lose your head if it wasn't for me," Tamara teased.

"So, how long have you two been married?" Sam questioned.

"Eight years, this past June," Tamara smiled.

"A family that slays together…" Isaac quipped.

Aiden, Sam and I exchanged smirks before Sam spoke, "Right, I'm with you there. So, how'd you get started?" Tamara's smile began to fade and Sam backtracked instantly, "I'm sorry, it's none of my business."

"No, no, it's all right," Tamara soothed.

Luckily any tension in the room was broken when Dean entered the room still talking to the coroner's tech.

"Well, Jenny, if you look as pretty as you sound, I'd love to have an appletini," Dean smirked before shrugging at us, "Yeah. Call you."

"So?" Sam prompted.

"Get this: that family, cause of death?" Dean shook his head, "Dehydration and starvation. Thee was no signs of restraint, no violence, no struggle. They just sat down and never got back up."

"But there was a fully-stocked kitchen just yards away," Bobby gaped.

"Right," Sam agreed, "what is this, a demon attack?"

"If it is, it's not like anything I ever saw," Bobby shrugged. "And I've seen plenty."

"Well, what now?" Dean questioned. "What should we do?"

"Uh, we're not gonna do anything," Isaac corrected.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"You guys seem nice enough," Isaac said. "But this ain't Scooby-Doo and we don't play well with others."

"Well, I think we'd cover a lot more ground if we all worked together," Sam stated.

"No offense, but we're not teaming with the damn fools who let the Devil's Gate get opened in the first place," Isaac sneered.

"No offense?" Dean growled.

"We didn't let the gate get opened," I snapped. "We tried to stop it and I don't recall seeing you so don't pretend you know what happened."

"Hails," Dean warned.

"Isaac, like you've never made a mistake," Tamara reproached.

"Oh, yeah, locked my keys in the car," Isaac replied. "Turned my laundry pink. Never brought on the end of the world, though."

"All right, that's enough," Dean chuckled after giving Aiden a sharp glare.

"Guys, this isn't helping," Sam scolded.

"Look, there are a couple hundred more demons out there now," Isaac hissed. "We don't know where they are, when they'll strike. There ain't enough hunters in the world to handle something like this. You brought war down on us. On all of us."

"Hey, man, go fuck yourself," Aiden snapped.

"Okay, that's quite enough testosterone for now," Tamara sighed leading Isaac away from us.

Bobby leveled us with a disapproving look before going over to the table and sitting down. I looked around before I shook my head and made my way out of the house. I wandered around the property for a few minutes until I realized that I wasn't alone. I threw my hand backwards slamming someone against the side of the house as I turned on my heel.

"Who are you?" I snarled.

"I'm someone who can help," The girl replied.

She could have been any older than Aiden. She had blue eyes and light blonde hair. She was wearing a graphic tee shirt, boots, and jeans. She had a gray leather jacket over her shoulders and looked surprised that she had been slammed against the wall.

"Who says we need your help?" I growled.

"So, you know how to get Dean out of his deal?" The girl replied.

"You fucking demons just can't leave us the hell alone!" I yelled.

"Keep your voice down," The girl snapped.

"Or what?" I smirked. "You'll be exorcised? My thoughts exactly."

"I can help you save you're brother!" The girl cried before I could begin the exorcism rite.

"How?" I responded.

"You have to trust me," The girl responded.

"Trust you?" I repeated, scoffing.

"Don't be racist," The girl growled. "I'm here because I want to help you and Sam."

"What about Sam and I?" I demanded.

"You two key instruments in Azazel's plan," The girl shrugged.

"The plan isn't going to happen," I said.

"Because you guys are hunters and fight to keep innocent humans safe, yeah, got that," The girl huffed. "Let's put all that aside shall we? I know a way to save you're brother and all you have to do is trust me."

"Why would you want to do anything to help us?" I growled.

"I have my reasons," The girl stated, "Not all demons are the same, Hailey. Not all of us want the same thing. Me? I want to help you from time to time."

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Ruby," The girl said.

My eyes were still narrowed but I allowed her to get off the side of the wall before I could comment further, I heard the front door open.

"Hailey!" Aiden shouted. "Dinner!"

"There's your queue," Ruby smiled.

I growled low in my throat as I turned to go back into the house. When I came inside I saw that someone had ran out and got Chinese food. I grinned grabbed the fried rice that Sam had set aside along with the chopsticks. I sat down in between Sam and Aiden and began to eat.

"Hailey," Bobby called.

I picked my head up and looked at Bobby questionably.

"Everything okay with you?" Bobby asked.

"Why wouldn't it be?" I replied

"Natasha told us that you had been in Cold Oak and left seconds before we would've found you," Bobby said.

"The demon threatened to kill the rest of my family," I replied. "So, I ran."

"What happened with Jake?" Sam asked.

"Nothing, Sammy," I sighed.

"Really?" Sam prodded.

"Yeah, really," I said. My tone was verging on defensive despite my best intentions, "I'm going to get some sleep."

"Hay," Aiden sighed.

I shook my head as I made my way upstairs and found an actual bed. I grinned before falling face down onto the bed. I didn't know the last time anyone had used this bedroom and right now I didn't really care. I had slept in worse places. I wondered whether I should tell my brothers about meeting Ruby but what if she really could help Dean with his deal. I sighed rolling over. I'd tell Sam tomorrow, he'd understand. Dean would be pissed that I didn't exorcise her on the spot but if she really could help then maybe she might just be useful. Sometime between my pondering I drifted off, only stirring when someone climbed into bed.

"S'alright, Hay," Aiden muttered and with that I fell back asleep.

The next morning came entirely too quickly. We were up and moving when Sam told us that something had happened in town. I had changed quickly shrugging into a sweatshirt, that I was pretty sure wasn't mine and straight legged jeans along with my boots. I grabbed my gun and put in the waistband of my jeans and placed my knives in my boots. I was prepared to say the least.

Ten minutes later we were in the department store or at least Dean and Aiden were, Sam and I were outside the shop while Bobby was interviewing the girl who had apparently smashed a girl's head into the windshield repeatedly and the altercation was over shoes of all things.

"Do they have the shoes?" I asked.

"Yeah," Sam said, "Bobby sent a picture."

I took Sam's phone and wrinkled my nose, "Of all the really cute shoes someone was killed over those fugly things?"

"Hailey!" Sam scolded.

"It's called a joke, geek boy," I sniggered.

Sam sent me a sharp look and I smiled at him as I walked into the department store. I walked over to where Aiden was standing on the outskirts as Dean was talking to someone.

"You know, what happened outside makes you realize how fragile life really is," Dean flirted. "You gotta make every second count."

"Daddy," I called bounding up to Dean and the girl who was falling for his act hook, line, and sinker, "Mom was just wondering when we were coming home?

"It's, uh, a family business," Dean grimaced giving me a hard look.

"Dean, what are you doing?" Sam demanded as the girl walked away.

"Comforting the bereaved until someone decided to play the 'Daddy' card," Dean frowned.

"You're welcome," I grinned.

Dean sent me another glare that I ignored glancing at the door just as Bobby walked in. His hair was slicked back. He was in a suit, and there was no trucker cap or vest in sight.

"Whoa," Dean whistled, "Looking spiffy, Bobby. What were you, a G-Man?"

"Attorney for the DA's office," Bobby said. "I got to speak to the suspect."

"What do you think?" Sam asked. "Was she possessed, or what?"

"I don't think so," Bobby sighed. "There was none of the usual signs: no blackouts, no loss of control, totally lucid. She just really wanted those shoes. I spilled a glass of holy water on her, just to be sure: nothing."

"She could just be some random whacko," Dean suggested.

"If it'd been an isolated incident, maybe. But first the family, now this?" Bobby grimaced. "I believe in a lot of things but coincidence ain't one of them. Did you guys find anything around here?"

"No sulfur," Sam said. "Nothing."

"Well maybe something," Dean said his eyes focused on the ceiling. "See? I'm working."

I followed after Bobby and my brothers as we wormed our way into the back security room. I was inclined to vote with Bobby's idea that there was something more going on here. It was what Dad always told us: once circumstance, twice is happenstance, and three times was enemy action. Dad had learned it back in his marine days and there were a lot of parallels between that life and the one that my brothers and I had. Dad had his own bad people to fight in that life and in this one we had our own monsters. Having two crazy incidents in the same town, six days after the Devil's gate had been opened, there was something going on here, I was sure of it.

"Anything interesting?" Dean asked.

"I don't know yet," Sam sighed. "It might just be a guy or it might be our guy. Wait, Aiden, roll that back."

Aiden touched the dial rewinding the images just as Sam had asked. We watched once more as the man approached the blonde customer, touching her shoulder before gesturing to the girl who had been murdered. Aiden looked back at the rest of us, we just might have something. He scanned the image of the guy and printed it out. The rest of the day was spent going around time trying to find this guy. Finally there was a mostly positive idea that lead us to the bar, after six hours anyway. Sam was still nowhere to be found as we sat in the bars parking lot. We were in Bobby's car with Bobby and Dean were in the front with Aiden and I crammed in the back. I was starting to get nervous because Ruby had wanted to talk too Sam too and he had split up with the rest of us giving her the perfect opportunity.

"What time is it?" Bobby asked.

"Seven past midnight," Dean answered.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Bobby questioned.

"No," Dean scowled. "But I spent all day canvassing this stupid town with this guy's stupid mug, and supposedly, he drinks at this stupid bar."

"How do you really feel, Dean?" I asked.

Dean didn't get to reply because just as he was about to Sam came out of nowhere and smacked his hand down on the glass, startling Bobby, Aiden, and I. Dean jumped his attention shooting to the window. Sam opened the door slamming Dean's seat forward as he got into the back, laughing all the while.

"That's not funny," Dean muttered.

"Yeah, all right," Sam grinned. "So John Doe's name is Walter Rosen. He's from Oak Park, just west of Chicago, went missing about a week ago."

"The night the Devil's Gate opened?" Dean asked.

"Yup," Sam drawled.

"Think he's possessed?" Dean questioned.

"It's a good bet," Sam said. So, what, he just walks up to someone, touches them, and they go stark raving psycho or something?"

"Those demons that got out of the gate, they're gonna be able to do all kinds of things we haven't seen," Bobby sighed

"You mean, the demons we let out?" Sam corrected.

"Shut up, Sammy, we didn't let anything happen," I snapped.

"Guys," Dean called halting the beginnings of an argument.

We looked out of the car and saw Walter Rosen getting out of a car and heading towards the bar.

"All right," Dean smirked. "Showtime."

"Wait a minute," Bobby frowned.

"What?" Dean complained.

"What did I just say?" Bobby growled. "We don't know what to expect out of this guy. We should tail him until we know for sure."

"Oh, so, he kills someone and we just sit here with our junk in our hands?" Dean demanded.

"Some of us don't have any junk," I muttered.

"Hailey, just stop talking!" Dean growled.

"First you were begging me to talk to you and now you want me to shut up?" I rolled my eyes, "Make up your mind."

"Hailey," Dean growled, lowly, "I don't know what you think you're doing with this attitude but you're skating near paper-thin ice, we clear?"

"Crystal," I sneered.

"Hey," Bobby scolded. "We're no good dead and we're not making a move until we know what the score is."

"Uh, I don't think that's an option," Sam said.

"Why not?" Bobby hissed.

Sam gestured towards the parking lot where we saw Isaac and Tamara heading to the bar.

"Damn it!" Bobby yelled smacking a hand on the steering wheel.

"Now what?" Aiden asked.

"Now we're saving their asses," I muttered.

"Everyone have holy water?" Bobby asked.

"Yup," Dean answered.

"Good, y all go and I'll bring the car," Bobby said.

We got out of the car armed with canisters of holy water. We crossed the distance between the parking lot and the bar as quickly as we could. Just as we got the door, I heard Tamara begin to scream. The doors were sealed or at least they were until Bobby's car ran through the building. We all jumped through the hole that the car had created spraying demons with holy water. There was so many demons at least seven maybe more. Sam grabbed Tamara who was screaming hysterically to throw her bodily into the car. I glanced down and saw Isaac's dead body surrounded by blood and drain cleaner.

"Dean, come on!" Sam shouted gesturing Aiden and I to get in the car. I sat on Aiden's lap as we both kept Tamara from lunging out again.

Suddenly the trunk slammed closed as Dean and Sam got back in the car. Bobby floored it out of the bar driving as fast as he could back to the house. When we got the house, Dean opened the trunk, taking Walter out of it and carrying him into the house. A few minutes later he was tied to a chair, seated under a Devil's trap.

"We're going back," Tamara snapped.

"No, we're not," Aiden snorted

"I said we're going back!" Tamara yelled.

"Listen, just hold on a second," Sam soothed.

"I left my husband bloody on the floor!" Tamara screamed.

"Okay, I understand that, but we can't go back," Sam answered.

"It's suicide," I muttered.

"Fine," Tamara snapped. "Then you stay. I'm heading back to that bar."

"I'll go with you," Dean volunteered.

"Are you fucking crazy?" Sam demanded.

"It's suicide, Dean!" I shouted.

"So, what?" Dean retorted. "I'm dead already."

"How are you going to kill them?" Sam demanded. "Can't shoot them. You can't stab them. They're not just gonna wait in line to be exorcised!"

"I don't care!" Tamara howled.

"Then _you_ go back!" I yelled.

"You don't even know how many of them there are!" Sam growled.

"Yeah, we do," Bobby grimaced reading a book, "There's seven. Do you have any idea who we're up against?"

"No," Dean said, "Who?"

"The seven deadly sins," Bobby answered. "Live and in the flesh."

After a pause Dean said, "What's in the box?"

We all glanced at Dean in confusion so he continued, "Brad Pitt? Seven? No?" Bobby ignored him and shoved the book into his hands, "What's this?"

"Binsfeld's Classification of Demons," Bobby stated. "In 1589, Binsfeld ID'd the seven sins. Not just as human vices, but as actual devils."

"The family: they were touched by sloth," Sam gasped. "And the shopper…"

"That's envy's doing the customer we've got in the next room. I couldn't suss it out at first, until Isaac. He was touched by an awful gluttony," Bobby interrupted.

"I don't give a rat's ass if they're the Three Stooges or the Four Tops!" Tamara shouted, "I'm gonna slaughter every last one of them!"

"We already did it your way," Bobby growled, rounding on Tamara, "You burst in there half-cocked, and look what happened? These demons haven't been topside in half a millennium! We're talking medieval! Dark Ages! We've never faced anything close to this! So, we're gonna take a breath, and figure out what our next move is!"

I openly gaped at Bobby during his tirade. Sure, Bobby Singer wasn't the most patient man in the whole world. But, I could barely recall him yelling at us, even when we were kids. It took a while to get Bobby worked up like that and he was full out screaming at Tamara by the end of his rant while she just stared at him coldly.

"I am sorry for your loss," Bobby bit out.

Tamara didn't say a word as we moved from the kitchen area back into the room where Walter was. We surrounded him and glared down at him.

"So, you know who I am, huh?" Walter chuckled.

"We do," Bobby nodded. "We're not impressed."

"Why are you here?" Sam asked. "What are you after?"

"He asked you a question," Dean growled when Walter didn't answer, "what do you want?"

Walter began to laugh but he doesn't answer. Dean narrowed his eyes before opening a flask of holy water and doused him with it. Walter squirmed and yelled in protest.

"We already have what we want," Walter gasped.

"What's that?" Dean questioned.

"We're out," Walter grinned. "We're free. Thanks to you, my kind are everywhere. I am legion, for we are many. So, me, I'm just celebrating. Having a little fun."

"Fun?" Sam repeated.

"Yeah, fun," Walter smirked. "See, some people crochet. Others golf. Me? I like to see people's insides on their outside."

"I'm going to put you down like a dog," Tamara hissed.

"Please," Walter scoffed. "You really think you're better than me? Which one of you can cast the first stone, huh? What about you, Dean? You're practically a walking billboard of gluttony and lust. And Tamara, all that wrath, ooh. It's the reason you and Isaac became hunters in the first place, isn't it? It's so much easier to drink in the rage than to face what really happened all those years ago."

Tamara let out a scream and managed to punch him in the face twice before Bobby and Dean restrained her.

"My point exactly," Walter sneered. "You call us 'sins'. We're not sins, man! We are natural human instinct. And you can repress and deny us all you want, but the truth is, you are just animals. Horny, greedy, hungry, violent animals. You know what? You'll be slaughtered like animals, too. The others? They're coming for me."

"Maybe," Dean replied. "But they're not gonna find you. 'Cause you'll be in hell. Someone send this clown packing."

"My pleasure," Tamara responded smiling widely.

I watched as the demon's smile faded as we left, leaving Tamara alone. As we gave her privacy I began to hear the opening of the exorcism rite, in response the demon in Walter began to scream and groan in agony.

"I don't think we're gonna have to worry about hunting them," Bobby sighed once we were all in the next room.

"What does that mean?" Sam asked.

"I think maybe this joker's right: they're gonna be hunting us and they're not gonna quit easy," Bobby said.

"You guys, why don't you take Tamara and head for the hills?" Dean suggested. "I'll stay back, slow them down, buy a little time."

My eyes turned to slits as I gazed at my eldest brother. It was one thing to sell your soul, I mean I wanted Sam the way he was now. But to openly rub it in our faces that this time next year he'd be in hell? That wasn't cool. He was acting like he was already a lost cause that nothing we could think to do would be able to save him. That was why I had been pushing Dean's buttons all day because he had been pushing mine. Yeah, I know, it wasn't exactly mature of me but it sure as hell made me feel a little better.

"You're insane, Dean," Sam fumed. "Just forget it, okay?"

"Sam's right," Bobby said firmly.

"There's six of them," Dean growled.

"There's six of us!" I protested.

"And there's no place to run where they won't find us," Bobby said.

"Look, if we're going to go down, we're going down together, all right?" Sam questioned.

"Let's do this." Aiden whooped.

Suddenly a strong wind ripped through the room, blowing out all the candles. Tamara strolled back in tossing the book aside.

"Demon's out of the guy," Tamara called over her shoulder.

"And the guy?" Sam asked.

"He didn't make it," Tamara responded.

I glared at her retreating back before we began to get ready, drawing extra Devil's trap and turning nearly every water source we had available into holy water. We were all waiting in different rooms. I was beginning to get anxious because once the sun went down I heard Isaac, or what would be a demon animating his corpse, begin to shout at Tamara. I knew she had caved when there was a thundering of footsteps coming up the stars.

I walked out of my room and saw that Dean was tangling what could only be the demon of lust. He was kissing her passionately before he suddenly spun dunking her into the full bath of holy water. He nodded at me and I went to go to Sam. I got into his room seconds before three demons did.

"Here's Johnny!" One of the demon's smirked. He stopped suddenly and looked up, "Come on. You really think something like that is gonna fool something like me? I mean, me?"

"Let me guess: you're pride," Sam growled.

Pride grinned before waving his hand so that the ceiling cracked, breaking the protective circle

"The root of all sin," Pride grinned. "And you are Hailey and Sam Winchester. That's right I've heard of both of you. We've all heard that you, Sam, are the prodigy, the Boy King. Looking at you now, I've gotta tell you: don't believe the hype. You think I'm gonna bow to a cut-rate, piss-poor human like you? I have my pride, after all. And now, with Azazel dead, I guess I don't really have to do a damn thing now, do I? You and you're sister are fair game now, boy. And it's open season."

We were backed up against the wall when Pride suddenly lunged tearing Sam away from my side and punching him in the face. The girl demon rounded on me and I growled low in my throat as I ducked a punch. But by ducking the punch I put myself in the perfect position to get straggled as the demon showed, grabbing me by the neck and pulling me into the air. I choked and struggled to get loose seeing Sam in the exact same position. Suddenly, Ruby entered the room killing both of the demons holding us. I crumbled to the ground massaging my throat as Sam gaped at her.

"Who the hell are you?" Sam demanded.

"I'm the girl who just saved your ass," Ruby smirked. "See you around, Sam."

"Wait!" Sam called.

Ruby ignored Sam walking away. When Dean and Aiden came back in we all made sure that we were all okay. We slipped to the floor after we had been checked over for injuries giving into sleep. The next morning we had to three bodies into a hole that Dean and Sam had dug. I poured the salt while Aiden lit the match, throwing it into the pit. We were staring down at the fire when Bobby joined us.

"You think she's gonna be all right?" Sam asked.

I looked over to where Tamara was standing over Isaac's body, watching him burn away.

"No," Dean sighed. "Definitely not."

"Bobby, that knife, what kind of blade could kill a demon?" Sam asked.

"That chick helped you out too?" Aiden questioned.

"Yesterday, I'd say there was no such thing," Bobby sighed.

"I'm just gonna ask: who was that masked chick?" Dean questioned. "Actually, the most troubling question would be, 'How come a girl can fight better than you?'"

"Hey," I growled.

"If you want a troubling question, I've got one for you," Sam replied.

"What's that?" Dean asked.

"If we let out the seven deadly sins, what else is out?" Sam asked.

"You're right," Dean frowned. "That is troubling."

"See you guys around," Tamara whispered going off in the direction of her car.

"Tamara," Bobby called and she stilled, "The world just got a lot scarier. Be careful."

"You too," Tamara replied.

"Keep your eyes pealed for omens," Bobby ordered us, "I'll do the same."

"You got it," Dean said.

"Now what?" Aiden grumbled.

"We get out of here," Dean said. "Find some food, get a place to crash."

"That sounds awesome," Sam agreed.

I walked with my brothers to the impala and glanced back at the house we had stayed in. The world really had gotten scarier. Dean was going to hell and so far we had no idea how to stop it. And now people believed we were personally responsible for letting all those demons get loose. Could things get any worse? Yes, yes they can.


	27. Panic Switch

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Panic Switch**

"_You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the thing's you don't want to feel."_

"Oh, look two of them waking up," Someone cackled above me.

A whimper rushed through my parted lips as I took a deep breath. My ribs protested the movement and I groaned. I opened my eyes wincing at the bright light. I groaned in frustration. I was bound to a chair and gagged. Abby and Lucy were sitting next to me. They had been beaten horribly and were in the same position I was in. Abby's green eyes were open and glazed with fear. Her blond hair was tinged red with blood and bruises covered her pallid skin. Lucy wasn't in any better shape, sagging against the ropes that kept her tied to the chair, still unconscious.

"I can't believe you did it," Another voice whispered. "You've captured The Trinity."

"They were just sitting in plain sight," The other demon laughed. "We took them easily. I don't think the hunters know what they have in their arsenal. The Trinity of all things and they let them go in some place where there was no protection."

"Aw, does little Winchester have a question?" A different demon taunted.

He smacked me across the face before pulling the bandana out of my mouth. Judging by how many voices I had heard there was only two of them.

"Cristo," I snarled.

"Bitch," The demon growled backhanding me across the face.

I groaned as I struggled against the rope that held me and the handcuffs that bound my wrists behind my back.

The other girl demon pulled the gag out of Abby's mouth before she addressed us both, "Now, you three girls be good. We'll be back soon."

The two demons left quickly, leaving the three of us together.

"Did you hear what they called us?" Abby questioned her voice rough, "The Trinity?"

"Yeah, I know," I sighed. "You okay?"

"Hold on a minute," Abby whispered.

Suddenly Abby's green eyes began to glow, I smelled the burning scent of fire seconds before the ropes keeping Abby tied burned away. When her hands came out behind her I looked at her in surprise. I caught sight of her wrists and winced. She had burned the metal hot enough for it to melt but it had burned herself in the process. Abby got up shakily moving forward before standing in front of me.

"This'll hurt," Abby said

"Just do it," I muttered.

Needing no other invitation fire leapt out of Abby's fingers burning my restraints and the handcuffs. I hissed as the hot metal bit into my rips but it felt a lot better not to be tied up. We both moved onto Lucy. I nodded for Abby to free Lucy while I attempted to get her awake. When Lucy was free we let her stay seated.

"What are we going to do?" Abby asked.

"I got an idea," I grinned.

I looked for spray paint of something that I could draw and the floor. I pursed my lips when I didn't find anything.

"We have to get out of here," I sighed. "Cell phone?"

"No," Lucy said.

"I don't know where mine is either," Abby frowned.

"Great," I muttered.

"How long has it been?" Lucy questioned. "You both look horrible."

"Honey, you don't look too good yourself," Abby responded.

"The doors not locked, let's go," I responded.

I frowned as both Abby and I helped Lucy to her feet and moved quickly through the building when we emerged I looked for a car and found none. I did, however, find a phone. I quickly dialed Sam's cell phone.

"Winchester," Sam answered.

"Sammy?" I whispered.

"Hailey?" Sam gasped. "Where are you?"

"Oh, god, Sammy, I don't know," I whimpered.

"Hails, just calm down, it's okay," Sam soothed.

"Demons took us," I blurted, "Sam they kept calling us The Trinity."

"Well, there are three of you," Sam said.

"I don't think that's what they were referring to," I sighed.

"Hailey, stay put, we're coming soon," Sam responded.

"Sammy?" I questioned. "How long have we been missing."

"A week," Sam said.

"Oh, my god, Hailey!" Lucy cried. "They're coming back."

I hung up the pay phone and together Lucy, Abby and I began to run moving as far away from the building and running in the direction we thought was right. Fear gripped my heart and I had a hard time thinking of anything else. The last time I had been taken by a demon I had been thrown into a coma. Memories of that day flooded through my mind only this time I had friends to worry about too. I tired to remember the last week but I kept blanking. The last thing I remembered was the day after battling the Seven Deadly Sins. We had holed up in a motel room.

_When I had woken up, Sam and Dean weren't inside, instead they were outside the motel room arguing with each other if the sharp muffled tones were anything to go by. I crept up to the door and listened._

"_So, where to?" Dean asked._

"_I don't know," Sam answered. "I was thinking Louisiana, maybe."_

"_It's a little early for Marti Gras, isn't it?" Dean noted._

"_Well, I was talking to Tamara, and she mentioned this hoodoo priest just outside Shreveport that might be able to help us out. You know, with your demon deal."_

"_Nah," Dean muttered._

"_Nah__?" Sam repeated. "What does that mean, nah?"_

"_Sam, no hoodoo spell is gonna break this deal, all right?" Dean grumbled. "It's a goose chase."_

"_We don't know that, Dean," Sam protested._

"_Yes, we do," Dean disagreed. "Forget it. She can't help."_

"_Look, it's worth…"_

"_We're not going and that's that. What about Reno, huh?"_

"_You know what?" Sam hissed. "I've had it. I've been bending over backwards trying to be nice to you, and I don't care anymore."_

"_That didn't last long," Dean scoffed._

"_Yeah, well, you know what?" Sam shot back. "I've been busting my ass, trying to keep you alive, Dean. And you act like you couldn't care less. What, you got some kind of death wish or something?"_

"_No, it's not like that," Dean sighed._

"_Then, what's it like, Dean?" Sam demanded._

"_Sam," Dean warned._

"_Please," Sam pleaded. "Tell me."_

"_We trap the crossroads demon? Trick it? Try to Welch our way out of the deal in anyway?" Dean began, "You die. Okay? You die. Those are the terms. There's no way out of it. If you try to find a way, so help me God, I'm gonna stop you."_

"_How could you make that deal, Dean?" Sam whispered._

"_Because I couldn't live with you dead," Dean answered. "Couldn't do it."_

"_What, so now, I live and you die?" Sam frowned._

"_That's the general idea," Dean replied._

"_Yeah, well, you're a hypocrite, Dean," Sam snapped. "How did you feel when Dad sold his soul for you? 'Cause I was there and I remember. You were twisted and broken. And now, you go and do the same thing to me. What you did was selfish."_

"_Yeah, you're right," Dean agreed. "It was selfish but I'm okay with that."_

"_I'm not," Sam growled._

"_Tough," Dean retorted. "After everything I've done for this family, I think I'm entitled. Truth is, I'm tired, Sam. And I don't know, it's like there's a light at the end of the tunnel."_

_He was tired? He decided to make the worst deal with a demon that I had ever heard of and he doesn't want us messing with it because he's tired. There was also the fact that Sam could die if we tampered with it. Why had he agreed to that? And what were we going to do to get him out of it? Was there anything we could do? I found that once again that tears were way to close to surface as a few spilled out of my eyes and down my cheeks._

_Didn't Dean realize how bad this whole thing was? We needed Sam just as much as we needed him but Dean was the one person all of us could always count on. Dean would do anything and everything possible for his family. Only I don't think that Dean realized that we would do everything for him as well. Didn't he realize that this was breaking the very foundation on what made the Winchesters' a family in the first place? Didn't he see how guilty Sam was? How worried and anxious Aiden was? Or how confused I felt?_

_It wouldn't kill Dean to show a little devotion to himself. He always put us first, always. And now when it would be completely understandable for him to look for a way to save his own skin: he refused? Why would he do that? How could he do that? Did he know what hell was? There had to be some sort of loophole. There always was but the wiggle room we'd have would be tight. Messing with it in an obvious way and Sam would die and Dean would probably still go to hell. _

_I was so focused on my thoughts that I failed to notice that the door was beginning to open. I wasn't aware of Sam and Dean coming back into the room until the motel room's door smacked me in the head. I fell back down hard on my ass, letting out a sound that was reminiscent of the sound a dog would make when it's tail was stepped on. My hand fell to my head as I nursed the bump._

"_Hailey?" Sam gasped._

_I was barely aware that Sam was now hovering over my frame trying to see if I was hurt. He was prying my hand away from my head and gently nudged the bump. I made a grimace, smacking Sam's hand away as I rubbed the spot._

"_Were you eavesdropping?" Dean growled._

"_Obviously," I scoffed in a tone that was inches away from being belligerent._

_Dean glared down at me as Sam helped me back to my feet. Aiden was gazing at us, his eyes at half mast. We had probably woken him up. He shot us all a nasty glower before rolling over and burrowing under the covers. I rolled my eyes before I noticed that someone had grabbed my bicep and I was being dragged out of the motel room. Judging by the fact that Aiden was sleeping and Sam was gaping at me, it was Dean who was pulling us out of the room._

"_Something on your mind, Dean?" I questioned lightly as the motel room slammed shut and I was dragged into the parking lot._

"_You wanna continue being a __smartass__ or actually tell me what's going on in that head of yours?" Dean demanded roughly._

"_I'll continue being a smartass, thanks," I grinned cockily._

_Dean's eyes turned flinty as the rest of his expression became a mimic of solid steel. I don't think Dean appreciated his own smartass and sarcastic attitude being thrown back in his face, which exactly what I was doing. If this wasn't playing with fire, I didn't know what was._

"_Hailey," Dean warned._

"_What?" I snapped. "What could you possibly want me to say? That you made the one deal that sounds completely airtight? That despite everything half of me is glad you made the deal in the first place and the other half can't even imagine a life without you in it? That I'm already in mourning? That the only thing that bothers me more than you not being here a year from now is not the fact that you're dying, but that you're going to hell. Hell, Dean! You don't deserve that, not after everything you've done for this family. Not after saving every person you possibly can. Not for making sure that our family was a family."_

"_Hails," Dean sighed._

"_No," I whispered. "Don't, Dean, just don't."_

_I was crying far too much lately. I felt like I could put lifetime to shame with the amount of tears that I have shed in the last couple months. I was a Winchester for Christ sakes. We were supposed to man up and repress all emotions until we blew up so violently a tornado would be calm in comparison. That was how it was supposed to be, instead I cried like a toddler over every little thing. Granted two people close to me had died within months of each other, I had almost lost Sam, and now I was going to lose Dean?_

"_It's going to be okay, baby," Dean soothed._

_I was so distracted by my own tears that I had barely noticed Dean closing the distance between us and pulling me into his embrace._

"_No, it's not," I growled. I pushed against the embrace, punching at him, doing anything to get Dean to let me go but he never did. "You can't fix this!"_

"_I know," Dean whispered._

"_No, you don't know!" I sobbed._

"_Talk to me, Hails," Dean prodded. "Tell me what's been going on. Aiden says you've been having nightmares again."_

"_Fucking tattletale," I grumbled._

"_Hailey," Dean growled._

"_It's nothing," I sniffled. "I'm fine."_

"_So, nothing happened in Cold Oak that was traumatizing?" Dean asked._

"_I didn't say that," I sighed._

"_Then tell me, Hailey, I can't help if I don't know what's going on," Dean responded._

"_Nothing is going to help!" I growled squirming in Dean's grip. "Dean, you can't help! Okay? I'm the one who has nightmares of Trevor's death, of the accident. Why not add something else to the mix? I killed people, Dean. Is that what you wanted to hear? That I'm the cold blooded murderer that Dad warned you about! I'm no better than the things we hunt and I'm waiting for someone to realize that!"_

"_No one's going to realize anything," Dean retorted sharply. "You wanna know why? Because you didn't do anything wrong. You killed because you had to."_

"_Hey, you guys?" Sam shouted from the room. "Jo called and said it might be a good idea to head over."_

"_Then let's go!" Dean retorted._

_I moved to get my duffel packed up when Dean placed his hand on my shoulder. I turned to him questionably._

"_Stop with the attitude, alright, Hails?" Dean sighed._

"_Okay," I whispered. "I'm sorry, Dean."_

"_I know," Dean replied pulling me into his side as we walked back into our motel room._

"_Hay, catch!" Aiden shouted._

_Luckily, I had faster reflexes than most otherwise my duffel bag would've smacked me right in the face. I caught and then dodged my other one that came on its heels._

"_Aiden!" Dean scolded._

"_What?" Aiden replied innocently._

_Dean glared at him and Aiden shrugged before shouldering his own duffel bags. In the next few minutes we were all packed up and ready to go. I climbed into the backseat with Aiden following at my heels. Luckily, this wasn't going to be a very long drive because we were already in Nebraska. I was use to sitting down in the impala for hours on end but it was always nice when things were close by._

_It took us twenty minutes to get to the roadhouse and for a fairly early time there were a lot of cars in the lot. It was probably because hunters were sticking together after the gate had been opened. We all walked inside and it definitely looked like a hunters safe house. There were guns, knives, and buckets of salt and holy water on every available surface._

_My brothers were standing at their full heights eyeing the other people in the room. I noticed how they had formed a triangle of protection around me as they walked into the Roadhouse. I was trying to move around them but Sam and Aiden kept me pinned to their sides with Dean standing in front of me. It was probably a good idea since word had probably spread about us being at the Gates when they had been snapped open. Hell, a lot of people thought it was our fault._

"_Hey, you guys!" Jo greeted breaking up some of the tension in the room._

"_Hey, Jo," Dean grinned._

"_So, why was it a good idea for us to come over?" Aiden asked._

"_As you can see hunters from everywhere have been showing up here," Jo said waving her arm around the room. "We're strategizing and sharing info."_

"_And?" Sam questioned._

"_And, it might be a good idea for you guys to come because people think that it's your fault," Jo hissed._

"_We can take care of ourselves, Jojo," Aiden scoffed._

"_She has a point you guys," I protested._

_I glanced over at Dean who had yet to give a ruling on the situation. As far as hunting went it wasn't normal for us to hunt with other people. Our father had taught us that. He had drilled into us that the only people that we could really trust was family. That was at the beginning of Dad's hunting career, as he got older he did go to the Roadhouse for help occasionally but Dad was more of the go-at-it-alone type. I liked to think we weren't like that but we were. Hell, we all tried to do things without each other all the time, which resulted in all of us having different contacts. Although, with all the people that I knew by myself, I didn't see any familiar face except for Jo._

"_I think we can stay for a day or two," Dean finally replied._

"_Really?" Sam, Aiden, and I questioned at once._

"_Uh, yeah," Dean nodded. "We might as well."_

_That seemed to placate both Sam and Aiden as they walked with Dean over to one friendlier looking group of people. It was hard to tell when and if you ever ran into the hunters that were here. It was nearly impossible to meet every single hunter but word traveled fast and the Winchester name was fairly infamous thanks to our father. I was about to walk over to where my brothers were sitting when the front door opened._

"_Hailey?" A voice called._

_I turned on my heel and my eyes widened in shock._

"_Lucy?" I whispered. "Abby?"_

"_Oh, my god, Hailey!" Lucy yelped before she closed the distance between us and hugged me close._

_Sure, I had only met them a few weeks ago but we were close. I guess, what happened in Cold Oak had cemented our friendships. They kept me from killing Jake and vice versa. They were cool girls and now they were learning everything they could to be hunters in their own right._

"_How'd the salt and burn go?" I asked._

"_Easier than I thought it would be," Lucy answered honestly._

"_It helps when you have a girl who can conjure fire as your backup," Abby grinned._

"_Yeah, the spirit didn't count on that after it tossed the lighter away," Lucy replied._

"_Hey, you guys," Natasha smiled._

"_Tasha," I greeted hugging her too._

"_Hey," Abby and Lucy smiled._

_They had met back when the gates had been opened. Natasha was probably the one who was helping them learn the necessary information that hunters needed to know. _

"_You're right," Natasha smirked._

"_I thought we agreed that you would stay out of my head?" I frowned._

"_Then don't broadcast your thoughts, Winchester," Natasha retorted breezily. "And Hailey was wondering who was helping you guys with all the hunting stuff."_

"_Oh, okay," Lucy and Abby said._

"_Do you guys want to go out to eat?" I asked._

"_Sure," Lucy replied as Abby nodded._

"_We can take my car," Natasha volunteered._

"_Just let me tell my brothers," I said._

_I wandered back over to where my brothers were sitting, "Hey, can I go out with a few friends?"_

"_Who are these friends?" Dean asked._

"_Natasha, Abby, and Lucy," I responded._

"_Alright, be back before dark," Dean said._

Only we hadn't been back before dark, that much had been obvious. The worst thing that was that Natasha wasn't with us. Was she okay? Had the demons just taken us and left her? Or had she been killed in the crossfire. Whatever this Trinity thing was it didn't sound good. There was adoration in both demons voices and who knew how they'd react once they realized we were gone.

**Dean's Point of View**

It had been over a week since Hailey and her two friends from Cold Oak had gone missing. The Roadhouse was going in a complete defensive mode. A mode that I hadn't seen since I was little, I didn't like it then and I didn't trust it now. When Natasha came stumbling in, covered in a mixture of blood and mud, people had freaked out. Aiden had caught her seconds before she had crumbled to the ground.

When Natasha had come to, she had told us what had happened and that made me worried all over again. Demons had swarmed the place, beating her up before others took Hailey, Lucy, and Abby.

"Dean, she just called," Sam shouted running from the backroom. "She's okay."

"You sure?" I questioned.

"She's freaked as hell but she's fine," Sam replied. "Ash, traced the number. It's a pay phone from the edge of town."

"Let's go," I ordered.

Aiden, Sam, and I ran out of the Roadhouse and into the impala. The doors didn't even get a chance to close before I had floored it out of the parking lot and towards the edge of town. Who knew how many demons were close to where Hailey and her friends had managed to escape and I didn't want to give them a chance to get to them again.

"Dean!" Aiden shouted pointing through the backseat to where two girls were attempting to restrain the third.

I swerved the car near them and leapt out moving to them as fast as I could.

"What happened?" I demanded talking to the blonde girl.

"She just started freaking out," The blonde responded.

"It's called a panic attack," The other one sighed. "I think what happened a few months ago is messing with her head."

"How'd you know that?" I demanded roughly.

"She told us," The blonde sniped back.

"Dee?" A small voice whimpered.

I flinched and looked into wide, terrified, sapphire blue eyes. Instantly I saw the scared three year old girl who had found a violent imp that liked to hide in her closest. What made me worried was after we had removed the imp she had demanded to know why we weren't scared and what we weren't telling her. The three year old then and the eighteen year old now were nowhere near the same person, Hailey had grown so much that i was frightening to see her former self in those big baby blues of hers.

Abby and Lucy moved to the side so that I could pick Hailey up. Aiden took her from my arm and helped her in the back. All three girls had their fair share of scrapes and bruises and what I didn't like most was the haunted look in all of their eyes.

**Hailey's Point of View**

I had a panic attack. I couldn't believe it, after everything I had seen, everything I had gone through, I chose now to have a panic attack? And, of course, amidst a panic attack was when my brothers had found us. I grimaced as Dean had picked me up and placed me in Aiden's arms before we drove back to the Roadhouse.

Before I could move when the car had stopped, Aiden had picked me up and brought me into the Roadhouse with everyone following in at heels. Aiden placed me on top of the bar, where Ellen had a first aid kit ready and waiting. Abby and Lucy sat on either side of me. Dean cleaned out my cuts while Sam and Aiden helped Abby and Lucy. Even though, I knew I was safe, my breathing became ragged as my heart began to pound.

"Hails?" Dean whispered his hands grabbing my wrists because they had began to claw at my neck at my neck, feeling as though I was being choked.

"Dean, she's having a panic attack," Sam gasped.

"What do we do?" Dean retorted.

"Hails, you're okay," Abby whispered. "They can't hurt us anymore."

I nodded trying to calm my beating heart. I grimaced as Dean took the opportunity to finish cleaning and bandaging my cuts before he kept a steady hand on my knee. When I had calmed down, Jo gave me a cup of tea as my brothers looked at me seriously.

"What the hell happened?" Dean demanded

"They just swooped in," I said. "Took us, when we came too they were bragging."

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Because they had bagged The Trinity," I whispered

"Did you say The Trinity?" Natasha gasped.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"Oh, my god," Natasha gaped. "How could I have missed this?"

"Natasha?" Sam questioned. "What's going on?"

"The Trinity is a legend," Natasha explained. "Or I thought it was. It's rumored that The Trinity is the key."

"Key to what?" Aiden questioned.

"The key," Natasha said. "They are considered to be one of the deciding factors on who will win this war."

"What?" Sam asked.

"The Trinity is a key, Sam," Natasha said. "They can go our way or the other. And if it is them, and it looks like it is, then the demons are going to fight like hell to get them on their side or kill them."

"What?" Aiden gasped.

"The legend goes that when Lucifer is set to rise, when Hell's army has been unleashed there are three girls: all are eighteen, all born the same day."

"December 13…" I started

"!989," Abby and Lucy interrupted.

"Oh, my god," Sam muttered.

"We're The Trinity," I gasped.

"It makes sense," Abby shrugged. "We're all psychics. Sam's meant to lead the army. Why wouldn't we have something that could end really badly too."

"Explains why we trusted each other so fast," I shrugged before looking at my brothers. They all looked stunned.

I didn't know how to feel about all of this either. What the others didn't realize was Natasha was still filling in the blanks, telling Abby, Lucy and I more about The Trinity. Things she thought would worry my brothers and she was probably right. She told us that The Trinity wouldn't be born to the same family but would recognize each other subconsciously when they came into contact. This was just all fucking weird. First Sammy's supposed to lead the demon army to bring on the apocalypse and now the three of us can tilt in the demons favor? How could that even happen. Well, it wouldn't happen as far as I was concerned. The demons weren't winning anything because of my family.

"Uh, you guys?" Ash called.

I looked over and noticed Ash was camped out on the other side of the bar. His brow was furrowed as he read something from his laptop. Dean moved to look over Ash's shoulder and then he titled his head before his eyes shone with realization.

"We need to get to Indiana," Dean ordered, "right now."

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Do you remember Lisa Braeden?"

"Should I even ask?" Sam grimaced.

"Remember that road trip I took?" Dean responded. "Gosh, about eight years ago? You all were in Orlando while you and Dad wrapped up that Banshee thing."

"Five states, five days?" Sam replied. "Right?"

"Kind of," Dean smirked. "Although I spend most of my time in Lisa Braeden's loft."

"You want us t go all the way to Cicero, Indiana, so you can hook up with some random chick?" Aiden frowned.

"She was a yoga teacher," Dean huffed. "It was the bendiest weekend of my life. Come on, have a heart, huh?"

"I really didn't need to hear that," I sighed.

"Besides there's a case there, a man falls on his own power saw and there's been other random accidents all over this neighborhood," Dean said. "Ones that haven't made the paper."

"Digging for police files again, Ash?" I teased hoping of the counter.

"I got bored," Ash shrugged.

"Let's get to Indiana," Dean ordered.

We said quick goodbyes to everyone before we all piled back in the impala. I wondered what we would encounter at Cicero. All these accidents sounded just like accidents, randomly weird accidents. Then again we had looked into less and if Dean wanted to see ghosts of layings past, who was I to stand in the way?


	28. Writings on the Wall

_**Author's Note: So, didn't get a lot of reviews on the last chapter. **__**But, I did get a lot more alerts and favorites so thank you. Anyway, as a heads up I'm leaving for school in two days and well, updates won't be coming quite as quickly anymore. This is the story I'm devoted to at the moment so keep reviewing, okay? Awesome. Happy reading. ~Beccatdemon13**_

**Chapter Twenty Eight: Writings on the Wall**

"_Memory's a fickle thing and sometimes we're doomed to repeat the things we've forgotten."_

Dean was apparently more anxious to see this girl than I had previously thought. We were barely in Cicero when Dean pulled over and kicked us all out of the car, barely giving us a chance to grab our bags before he drove down the street.

"Nice," I muttered.

"At least the motel's right there," Sam shrugged.

I rolled my eyes as Sam bought us two adjoining rooms. It took about a half hour to draw the salt lines as well as place the charms on all four corners of the room. After we had finished, Aiden had chosen to take a nap, since he really couldn't sleep comfortably in the impala. I was stuck watching TV until Sam came into the room.

"You hungry?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," I replied.

I wrote a quick note to Aiden just incase he woke up before we got back. I followed Sam to the nearest diner. We sat down and even though we were both hungry, food was the last thing on our mind. Our brothers meant well but they didn't understand this whole psychic children thing. And, just when we thought that our lives couldn't get any weirder, we find out that Sam's supposed to lead some demon army to kick start the apocalypse and I'm a member of a 'key' that decides whether or not the demons will win in the first place.

"Hails?" Sam called. "Hailey!"

"What?" I groused.

"You with me?" Sam questioned.

"Sorry," I sighed. "What's up?"

"Dean's deal?" Sam scoffed. "He's dying in a year."

"No, he's not," I hissed. "He's going to hell, there's a difference."

Sam glowered at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Sam, I don't know what we're going to do," I sighed. "But we're going to find something, okay?"

"Hello, Sam," A voice smiled.

My head shot up as a blonde wiggled her way into our booth

"You've been following me since Lincoln," Sam stated.

"Not much gets by you, huh?" Ruby laughed as she snagged a fry and popped it in her mouth, "These are amazing it's like deep-fried crack. Try some."

"That knife you had you can kill demons with that thing?" Sam asked.

"Sure comes in handy when I have to swoop in and save the damsel in distress."

"Where'd you get it?" Sam questioned.

"Skymall," Ruby replied.

"Why are you following us?" Sam demanded.

"I'm interested in you both," Ruby shrugged.

"Why?" Sam growled.

"Because you're tall," Ruby grinned. "I love a tall man, then there's the whole antichrist thing, which you both share."

"Excuse me?" Sam snapped.

"You know: generations of psychic kids, the yellow-eyed demon rounds you up, a _Celebrity Deathmatch_ ensues and you, Sam, are the sole survivor. And, as it turns out you're little lieutenants is The Trinity themselves."

"How do you know about that?" Sam asked.

"I'm a good hunter," Ruby said. "So, Yellow Eyes had some pretty big plans for the two of you."

"Had being the key word," Sam frowned.

"Oh, yeah, that's right," Ruby nodded. "Ding, dong, the demon's dead. Good job with that. Doesn't change the fact that you're special. In that Anthony Michael Hall, ESP-vision kind of way."

Ruby reached over and pulled a small plate close to her before she poured a pool of ketchup in the center of that. She put the ketchup bottle back down and continued to steal Sam's French fries.

"No, no that stuff's not happening anymore," Sam retorted. "Not since he died."

"Oh, really?" Ruby asked shooting a smirk my way, "Well, I'm thinking you're still a pretty big deal. I mean, after all that business with your mom."

"What about our mom?" I growled.

"You know, what happened to her friends?" Ruby prodded.

Sam and I exchanged a confused glance, which caused Ruby to smirk, "You don't know? Well, looks like you two have a little bit of catching up to do. So, why don't you look into your mom's pals and then give me a call, and we'll talk again."

She grabbed Sam's hand and wrote her number on his palm. He looked at it in surprise as she slid out of the booth and left. The bell on the door rang as Ruby left and Sam was still looking at the number. Before I could comment, Sam's phone began to ring. Sam glanced at his phone before he mouthed Dean to me and than answered the phone.

"Hello?" Sam asked.

"Dude, there really is a job here," Dean hissed.

"That's what Ash said, Dean," Sam responded.

"Yeah, well, boy genius, failed to mention how all these people died," Dean scoffed, "all these people are dying within this Morning Hill gated community: people falling off of ladders and drowning in their Jacuzzis all over the neighborhood."

"That's weird," Sam replied.

"Yeah, something's up," Dean sighed. "Something these nice, big gates can't protect them from."

"Well, what are we going to do?" Sam asked.

"I'll meet you guys at the motel," Dean stated, "and there's something I have to tell you when we're all together."

"Dean, what is it?" Sam questioned.

"I said when we're all together, Sammy," Dean reproached softly, "I'll see you soon."

Sam and I once again exchanged confused glances as we stood simultaneously. Sam paid for the food we hadn't touched before we began to walk back to the motel room. We wandered in seconds before I heard the roar of the impala's engine. Aiden was no longer sleeping but the shower was running. I wandered over and banged on the door a few times telling him that Dean had something to tell us.

When Aiden came out a few minutes later, rubbing a towel over his wet hair as some water droplets soaked his white tee shirt. He dropped down on the bed next to Sam as well all looked at Dean who looked fairly nervous.

"What's wrong, dude?" Aiden asked. "Did Gumby girl turn you down?"

"Shut up, Junior," Dean snapped.

"What's wrong, Dean?" I asked.

"Lisa has a kid, Ben, he's eight," Dean said.

"And you think he's yours?" Sam questioned.

"Uh, yeah, geek boy, I do," Dean grumbled.

"Well, what did Lisa say?" I asked.

"She said he wasn't," Dean sighed, "But this kid is exactly like me. He likes AC/DC, he loves classic cars, and you know what he said when I asked him about his moon bounce? He said it's awesome because chicks think they're awesome."

"What are we going to do?" Sam glowered.

"We're going to take care of whatever is hurting those people," Dean ordered. "Ideas?"

"Haunting?" Aiden suggested

"No," I shook my head, "It's different people, different places. The only thing in common is this community and the fact that everyone deceased had children."

"Maybe they built in a burial ground or something?" Sam responded.

"Yeah," Dean frowned. "Maybe. Hailey, you and I are going to scope the neighborhood out. Sam, you and Aiden start researching find anything shady that has happened in there or what use to be there and call us if you find anything."

"All right," Aiden nodded.

He and Sam got up and moved towards their computers concentrating on the federal sights as well as any sights that Ash may have recommended in the past. I pulled on my sweatshirt as I followed Dean out of the motel room. It was a fairly nice fall day and the ride in the impala was of the short and silent variety. I wondered vaguely if this kid Dean had found actually was his son. It made sense, it had been eight years since Lisa and Dean had hooked up, and passed on the glow my brother had when he finally joined all of us in Orlando. Hell, he was practically skipping, He had been gloating to Sam and Aiden about that weekend until I had overheard and Dad put the kibosh on the entire conversation and any future conversations that were about sexual encounters when I was in hearing distance. But, I digress, the math added up and if Ben was Dean's what would happen?

We parked the car in what looked to be park and I climbed out closing the door behind me. I moved to cross the street, when I glanced behind me, immediately noticing that Dean was making no moves to follow after me. I glanced at the direction Dean was looking in and saw a little kid sitting on a bench looking upset. Dean was walking over to him and I followed after him.

"Hey, Ben," Dean called.

Ben's head shot up as he glanced at Dean and then looked behind him spotting me, "Hey, you were at my party."

"Yeah, I'm Dean," Dean greeted sitting down next to Ben. I stood next to my brother and looked at Ben staring unabashedly. Ben looked exactly like Dean did when he was eight years old down to the exact mannerisms, it was uncanny and a little disconcerting, "Is everything okay? Something wrong?"

I noticed that Ben held a game case, but it was empty. Dean looked up and saw a group of boys nearby playing with a game, most likely Ben's game. Dean's gaze narrowed as he addressed Ben once more, "Is that your game they're playing with?"

"Ryan Humphrey borrowed it, and now, he won't give it back," Ben mumbled.

My eyes wandered over to the group of boys, my eyes landing on the somewhat chubby boy playing with the gameboy or whatever it was. My eyes narrowed, despite just meeting Ben, I felt the same sense of protectiveness that my brothers must get if I was in trouble. Dean seemed to reach the same conclusions I had.

"Do you want me to go?" Dean offered.

"No!" Ben responded sharply. "Don't go over there. Only bitches send a grown-up."

I grinned at that and noticed that Dean looked pleased, "You're not wrong."

"And I'm not a bitch," Ben nodded. Yup, duplicate of Dean all right.

"Is that Humphrey?" Dean asked point at the chubby boy, "The one who needs to lay off the burgers?" I watched as Ben smiled, "Hm."

"Dean, maybe you shouldn't…"

"Who are you?" Ben frowned.

"Ben, this is Hailey," Dean introduced. "She's my little sister."

"Hi," I grinned.

Ben's eyes met mine before he moved his eyes down my body. That's terrific, I might've just been sized up by what could very well be my nephew. And he was an eight year old. I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms, clearing my throat. Ben had the decency to look somewhat contrite has his eyes found Dean's. Dean then taught Ben how he could get his game back without involving a grown-up. I sat down on the bench next to my brother and shook my head. Dean gave me a look before we both watched as Ben approached the group of boys. After a moment Ben turned back to us and Dean gave him a thumbs-up. After a few seconds of conversation, Ben turned back around seemingly defeated before he wheeled back around kicking Humphrey in the privates, he crumbled to the ground and Ben took his game back.

Dean let out a low whistle as Ben came back looking completely ecstatic. I have to admit it was pretty awesome.

"Dude, that was awesome!" Ben whooped.

"Up high!" Dean smiled. "Nice work."

They high-fived and Ben gave me a smile as well. I glanced over his head and saw an irate brunette come storming over to us. She had straight hair and pretty blue eyes.

"Benjamin Isaac Braeden," The woman fumed. "What's gotten into you?"

"He stole my game!" Ben protested.

"So, you kick him?" The woman snapped. "Since when does that…" She then noticed my brother and I. She gave me a confused glance before pinning a furious look at Dean, who looked up guiltily, "did you tell my son to beat up that kid?"

"What?" Dean cajoled. "Somebody had to teach him how to kick a bully in the nads."

"Who asked you to teach him anything?" Lisa growled.

"Just relax," Dean soothed.

"What are you even still doing here?" Lisa demanded. "We had one weekend together, a million years ago. You don't know me and you have no business with my son."

"Lisa," Dean responded.

"Just leave us alone," Lisa growled.

She grabbed Ben's hand and began to pull him away with her. Suddenly, he broke free and ran back hugging Dean. Dean seemed shocked for a moment before he hugged him back.

"Thanks," Ben smiled looking up at Dean.

Ben went back to his mom and they walked away. Dean looked hurt and confused for a moment before he noticed that three other kids standing in the playground. They all turned to look at him. They gave us a chilling stare that no normal child could even think of making. Dean and I exchanged a glance before we got back in the impala. I think we had seen enough.

When we got back to the motel room it was obvious that both Aiden and Sam were researching, they just weren't researching for this hunt. I came in first giving them more than enough time to minimize the screens before Dean came in. Dean had made it perfectly clear a few weeks ago that he was more than content (or so he seemed) to let this deal unfold. We weren't so we did every research we could behind Dean's back. Smart? Not really. Were we desperate enough to risk Dean's wrath when he found out? Hell yes.

"There's something wrong with the kids in this town," Dean announced as I collapsed on one of the beds.

"We have a theory," Aiden replied.

"Yeah?" Dean questioned.

"Yup," Sam drawled. "What do you know about changelings?"

"Evil monster babies?" Dean responded.

"No, not necessarily babies," Sam corrected.

"They're kids," Dean said. "Creepy, stare-at-you-like-you're-lunch kids."

"There's one in every victims house," Sam stated.

"How do we kill them?" I asked.

"Fire," Dean grinned.

"Awesome," I smirked.

Aiden and began to make the flame throwers while Sam and Dean sat at the table. Sam was reading the lore on the changelings.

"So, changelings can perfectly mimic children," Sam began to read, "according to lore, they climb into the window, snatch the kid. And there were marks on the windowsill at one of the kid's houses. Looked like blood to me."

"So, changelings grab the kid, assumes its form, and joins the happy fam, just for kicks?" Dean asked.

"Not quite," Sam frowned. "Changelings feed on the mom; synovial fluid. The mom's have these odd bruises on the back of their necks. Changelings can drain them for a weeks before Mom finally croaks."

"Explains the Dads and the babysitter," Dean sighed.

"Yup," Sam nodded. "Seems like anyone who gets between them and their food source ends up dead."

"And fire's the only way to waste them?" Dean queried.

"Yup," Sam replied.

"Great, well, we'll just bust in, drag the kids out, torch them on the front lawn," Dean smirked darkly, "That'll play great with the neighbors. What about the real ones? What happens to them?"

"According to lore, they stash them underground somewhere," Sam shrugged. "Now, I don't know why, but if it's true, the real kids might be out there somewhere."

"We better start looking," Dean stated glancing over at the two of us, "You two done yet?"

"Yup," Aiden grinned. "We're ready to roast some bitches."

"Aiden, your pyro tendencies are more than a little scary," Sam deadpanned as Dean burst out laughing. Aiden stuck out his tongue as he pocketed a lighter.

"Hey, fire's saved your ass plenty of times," Aiden retorted.

It also had taken everything away but I wasn't stupid enough to voice that statement out loud.

"We've gotta make a stop," Dean said on the way outside. "I want to check on someone."

"Well, if the real kids are still alive, we don't have much time to," Sam responded.

"Sam, we have to," Dean growled.

Sam nodded his consent as Dean didn't break his stride getting into the impala. We all hopped in and in seconds we were on our way to the gated community. When we got to what I assumed to be Lisa's house we stayed in the car as Dean went on ahead. When Dean was out of hearing distance Sam and Aiden turned to me.

"It's his," I whispered. "There's no way in hell it's not."

"Wow," Aiden whispered. "What do you think he's going to do?"

"I don't think he knows," I said. "What can he do?"

"Yeah," Sam sighed.

"These gated communities freak me out," Aiden grumbled a few seconds later.

"Yeah," Sam and I agreed.

When Dean came back he looked worried. He was running towards the impala, which was an immediate clue that something was wrong. He opened the door and closed it behind him firing up the impala.

"It took Ben," Dean hissed. "He's changed."

"What?" Sam gasped. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Dean replied. "I'm sure. I checked his windowsill."

"Blood?" Sam sighed.

"I don't think it's blood," Dean frowned. "And I think I know where the kids are."

Dean drove to another area of the gated community stopping at a half built house. There was a pile of red dirt at the construction site.

"Red dirt," Sam groaned. "That's what was on the window!"

"All right," Dean ordered. "You and Aiden take the front, Hailey and I'll go around."

We nodded and split up entering the half-finished house. We didn't find anything at first and just when I was about to get frustrated I heard a crashing noise that I knew for certain that Dean heard too. We looked around a bit more before we found a cage hidden behind on of the walls. The real Ben was inside and reaching his arms through the bars.

"Ben?" Dean called. "Ben it's okay. I'm going to get you out of here, okay?"

Dean began to look for something heavy to bash the locks open when I tapped him on the shoulder and eyed the look. He guessed my intention and nodded slightly once. I twitched a finger and the lock snapped open. Dean looked impressed, which, was a step up from disgusted. When the lock broke, Dean moved forward opening the cage and helped Ben out. My heart swelled with pride as Ben immediately went back and helped everyone else out of the cages. Dean and I led them to one of the windows. He looked at me and I knew that we were going to have to break them.

"All right, everybody back!" Dean ordered. The kids moved back, "Cover your eyes!"

They did as requested and Dean smashed the window open.

"Here," Ben said handing Dean his jacket, "use this."

He smiled approvingly at Ben before taking the jacket and covering the broken shards that were still left. He moved his hand to help Ben up but he deflected instead letting other kids go ahead of him. While I knew that Dean was impressed he also wanted Ben out of harms way. Suddenly Aiden and Sam came jogging up to us, slightly out of breath, and Aiden had a slight limp.

"Dean, there's a mother," Sam stated.

"A mother changeling?" Dean groaned.

"Yeah, we've gotta get these kids out, quick," Sam said.

"It makes sense," I mused. "Keeping the kids alive so the mother can feed on them. Fucked up but it makes sense."

I jumped when a kid began to scream, turning around and saw that the fake realtor had come into the room. Dean moved to attack her when she grabbed him by the front of the jacket tossing him into wooden support beams. He fell down and Sam moved quickly trying to get the lighter to light when she kicked it out of his hands tossing him into aluminum siding.

"Hailey, get them out of here!" Aiden shouted as he went to help.

I did what I was told unsurprised when Ben stayed to help. When they were all gone, Ben climbed out of the window myself. Looking over my shoulder I saw that my brothers had gotten the upper hand. I decided to climb out the window and keep the kids company. When I heard a scream, I knew the changelings were gone.

"Hailey?" Ben asked.

"What's up, Ben?" I smiled.

"What was that?" Ben asked.

"Ben…"

"Don't lie," Ben frowned.

"It was a monster, Ben," I sighed. "My brothers and I kill them for a living."

"That's awesome," Ben grinned. "Hey, Hailey?"

"Yeah?" I questioned.

"Is Dean my Dad?" Ben questioned.

"I think so, buddy," I answered truthfully. "Why?"

"My mom was looking at old pictures and seemed really happy that Dean was back. I put two and two together," Ben shrugged.

"You're a smart kid, Ben," I complimented. "Listen, if you ever want to talk or anything here's my cell phone number."

"Thanks," Ben smiled and hugged me.

"Ben, you okay?" Dean called as my brothers came out of the front door.

"Yeah," Ben answered.

Dean pulled Ben into a hug that Ben gladly accepted and I smiled. When they broke apart, Dean led Ben to the impala who was looking at it in awe. I grinned at Dean as I got into the backseat with Ben and Aiden. I was surprised when Dean chose to drop Sam, Aiden, and I off at the motel first but no one complained as we shuffled out of the car. Ben hugged me once more before climbing into the front seat with Dean. Aiden decided that he was hungry and in need of an ace bandage and took the time to restock the first aid kit, which left Sam and I alone.

We looked at each other before moving towards the computers. We had taken what Ruby had said to heart. Hell, I wanted to know what happened to Mom's friends just as much as the next person, who happened to be Sam. We broke the list in half and called all these places. It took around fifteen minutes and when I looked up I knew that Sam had the same luck I did. Everyone in Mom's life: her friends were dead. Azazel went through a lot of trouble to cover his tracks and for what? Because Sam was supposed to led the army and I was a member of a key?

I never really got a chance to bounce ideas off Sam because Aiden came home soon after the phone when Dean got back we left Indiana going to a take care of a poltergeist in West Texas. The first night we were there was fine. The next morning was a different story. I awoke to find Dean frantic: Sam had vanished without a trace.


	29. So I thought

_**Author's Note: Hey, guy's look a chapter, lol. Anyway, I will probably be updating this on weekends and I will not drop this story. I just have to focus on school and stuff. I moved in okay and classes just started so they really won't pick up until next week. Anyway, please review, you guys rock. Happy reading. ~Beccatdemon13**_

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: So I thought**

"_I__t's only when you're tested that you truly discover who you are. And it's only when you're tested that you discover who you can be. The person that you want to be does exist, somewhere in the other side of hard work and faith, and belief and beyond the heartache and fear of what life has."_

"Hailey, you need to calm down!" Abby snapped.

"I am calm," I retorted breezily.

"Then you're currently pacing because…?" Lucy questioned lightly.

"Hey, my brothers been missing for two weeks, alright?" I responded. "So, excuse me if I'm a little anxious."

"A little?" Abby began

"We're going to find him," Lucy groaned, interrupting Abby before we began to fight. "All of the roadhouses hunter connections are out looking for Sam."

"We were kidnapped less than a month ago," I whispered. "What if demons have him?"

"Sam, can take care of himself," Abby said.

"Yeah?" I growled. "Because his powers are weaker than ours."

"He's not the same thing as us," Lucy replied. "Natasha said so. We're a whole different legend. Apparently, or so she theorizes, we would've had abilities with or without Azazel."

"Great, so I was born a freak," I rolled my eyes. "That makes me feel so much better."

"You're just on edge because Dean and Aiden are hovering," Lucy noted.

"Sorry," I relented. "I just really want to find him. He just disappeared, Luce, he doesn't do that."

"I know, Hails, and you'll find him," Lucy said.

"Yeah," I muttered.

Abby, Lucy, and I, as well as Aiden and Dean were currently staying at the Roadhouse again. Abby and Lucy were boarding there, while Aiden, Dean, and I had come in from West Texas after finishing off the poltergeist hoping that Sam was just waiting here for some reason. I sighed and rubbed my forehead. It had been two and a half months since Dean had made his deal, and now Sam was missing; all of our energy was directed towards getting him back.

The Trinity thing was still a major thing on the back of my mind. Natasha feeding us information whenever we got it. Apparently it wasn't always the best idea for all of us to be together. Actually what she said was we're strongest when we're together but we're also more vulnerable because demons want us to be on their side. Abby, Lucy, and I had discussed it and there was no way we were going dark side. Still, finding out that you're the key to whether or not the world ends is a fucked up thing to find out, like my plate couldn't have been more full.

"Hailey, please, sit down," Abby whispered.

I sighed but sat down in my seat in between both Abby and Lucy. My brothers weren't up yet, hell, I wouldn't be either if I had actually been sleeping. The roadhouse was completely empty and quiet. The three of us had big mugs of coffee and were drinking them as we waited for more company.

Abby, Lucy, and I had discovered accidently that we could tap into each other's thoughts and emotions, making us as close as sisters and best of friends. But, it wasn't like the relationships I had with Natasha and Jo. It was different, as though, I had found parts of me that I didn't even know were missing. That kind of bond, was sort of like my relationships with my brothers where we can just be in the same room, not saying a word because sometimes, there's no need. Especially with the people who know you backwards and forwards and any way imaginable.

I was interrupted from my musing when someone opened the front door, accidently slamming the screen door against the wall. My head shot up along with Abby and Lucy's. The figure darkening the doorstep wasn't Ellen, or Jo, or even Ash. I grabbed the shot gun that Ellen stored behind the bar and cocked it at the stranger.

"You chose the wrong place to break into, buddy," I snarled.

The person walked slowly into the room, hands out in front of him. I didn't flinch as Abby and Lucy came up on either side of me eyeing the stranger critically. I felt the surges of Abby's abilities as she was deciding whether or not the figure was a threat.

"Hailey Winchester?" The voice drawled.

"Who wants to know?" I retorted.

"You don't recognize me?" The voice questioned. "Aw, Hails, I'm hurt."

Wait a second, I recognized that voice, "Darren?"

"Hailey!" Darren smiled.

"Oh, my god!" I yelped.

I was so surprised. I hadn't seen Darren in at least three years. The last time might've been when he was helping me with accuracy with shooting. I had known Darren for as long as I could remember. His entire family hunted, just like mine. Only they had been in this game for generations. Darren was nineteen years old and had bright silver eyes and tousled, short brown hair. He, also, had the most devilish smirk I had ever seen. Once I spotted him, I ran over jumping into his open arms. He twirled me around before placing me back on my feet.

"Well, you haven't grown at all," Darren teased.

"Shut up," I replied shoving his shoulder, "Not all of us can be six foot two."

"How've you been, Hails?" Darren asked.

"Been better," I responded. "How are you?"

"Pretty good," Darren smirked. "Just trying to help out, ya know?"

"Yeah, it's been chaotic," I agreed.

"And, they are?" Darren asked looking over my shoulder.

"This is Abby Chase," I said pointing at Abby, "And this is Lucy Mackenzie."

"Nice to meet you," Darren smiled.

"Likewise," Abby grinned with a raise of her eyebrow.

"Where are your brothers?" Darren questioned.

"Dean and Aiden are sleeping," I whispered. "And Sammy's missing."

"Missing?" Darren repeated. "How long?"

"Two weeks," I sighed.

"I'm sorry, Hails," Darren whispered.

Someone cleared their throat and I whirled around surprised to see Aiden standing there. I was even more surprised when Darren's hand fell from my shoulder. I didn't even realize that Darren had been touching me. Aiden's eyes narrowed as he looked at Darren as I rolled my eyes. What was with Aiden and hating any guy that I had some semblance of a relationship with.

"Whitman," Aiden greeted.

"Winchester," Darren smiled.

"Aiden," I warned.

His eyes flicked to mine before shooting one last glower in Darren's direction before turning on his heel and walking into the kitchen.

"What the hell?" Abby wondered.

"He does that," I sighed.

"He worries about you," Lucy replied.

"Thanks, Luce," I shook my head.

Suddenly there were a few more footsteps before Dean came out of the back and glanced at all of us. He was going to say something when his phone began to ring. He looked at it before answering it as quickly as possible. Sam.

"Sammy?" Dean demanded. "Where the hell are you? Are you okay? Hey, hey, hey! Calm down. Where are you? All right don't move. We're on our way."

"Aiden!" I shouted.

I heard a crash from the kitchen as Aiden rushed out, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Sam just called," Dean said. "We're leaving now."

That was all Dean had to say. We were ready in minutes and driving towards Minneapolis, Minnesota. We stuck to back roads and stayed off of major highways as much as we could so that Dean could drive as fast as he could. By the time we got there anticipation was at an all time high. We barely waited for Dean to stop the car, running inside the motel and banging on the door.

"Sam, it's us!" Dean called. There was no response but Dean tried the doorknob and it was unlocked.

We moved quickly into the room and noticed that Sam was sitting on one of the beds his posture slumping, his head angled down, staring at the carpet.

"Sam?" Dean called. "Hey."

"Hey, Dean," Sam whispered quietly.

"Are you bleeding?" Dean gasped.

I stood off to the side with Aiden, as Dean walked closer crouching down in front of Sam.

"I tried to wash it off," Sam replied.

"Oh, my god," Dean hissed.

He pushed Sam to straighten up and I gasped. The entire front of Sam's shirt was soaked with blood, but now it had dried.

"I don't think it's my blood," Sam whimpered.

"Whose is it?" Dean responded.

"I don't know," Sam said.

"Sam, what the hell happened?" Dean growled.

"Dean, I don't remember anything," Sam frowned.

Aiden and I exchanged startled glances. Saying that he didn't remember anything was a pretty big thing to say. Dean seemed to rally faster than we did and I straightened up when Dean got out of his crouch. He turned to all of us before pulling Sam off the bed and giving him a light shove in the direction of the bathroom.

"Go get washed up," Dean ordered, waiting only long enough to see that order carried out before turning to us, "You guys stay here, watch him. I'm going to get food. You call me if anything happens."

"Yes, sir," Aiden whispered, speaking for the both of us.

Dean nodded once before exiting the room. I sat on one of the chairs by the table watching the door to the bathroom intently. The shower was running but that wasn't what I was worried about. How exactly could Sam be gone for two whole weeks and not remember anything.

"We're going to figure everything out, Hay," Aiden said suddenly.

His deep voice was startling in the quiet room and I flinched, cursing the fact that I hadn't even noticed that Aiden had closed the distance between us and placed a hand on the back of my neck, kneading the tensed muscles he found there. I hadn't even said a word but I didn't need to, Aiden had easily read every thought off my face and eyes. Hell, he was probably thinking along the same lines. Sam came out of the bathroom a few minutes later and it became awkward. Normally, if we were all waiting on Dean we would all talk or watch TV or something, instead we all just sat down, each avoiding eye contact with one another. When Dean finally came back it was a welcome relief.

"What did you find out?" Sam demanded as soon as Dean laid the food down on the table.

"You checked in two days ago under the name Richard Sambora," Dean began, "Of course, I think the scariest thing about this whole thing is the fact that you're a Bon Jovi fan."

"Dean," Sam growled.

"Your room's been quiet," Dean shrugged. "Nobody's noticed anything unusual."

"You mean no one saw me walking around, covered in blood?" Sam grumbled.

"Uh, yeah," Dean nodded. "That's what I mean."

"Then how the hell did I get here, Dean?" Sam spat. "What happened to me?"

"I don't know, all right?" Dean retorted, angrily. "But you're okay, that's what matters. Everything else we can deal with."

"Oh, really?" Sam sneered. "Cause what if I hurt someone? Or worse?"

"Sam," Dean warned.

"What if this is about what Dad warned you about?" Sam whispered.

"Hey, whoa," Dean reproached. "Come on, man, let's not jump the gun here. We don't know what happened . And we've just gotta treat this like any other job. What's the last thing you remember?"

"Just us in that motel room in West Texas," Sam shrugged. "I went out to grab some burgers and…"

"West Texas?" Dean repeated. "Sam, that was over a week ago."

"Two weeks, actually," Aiden muttered.

Dean shot Aiden a look that said in no uncertain terms to keep quiet. Aiden shrugged once before folding his arms across his chest.

"That's it," Sam said, meekly. "Next thing I knew, I was sitting here, bloody. Felt like I'd been asleep for a month."

"Okay," Dean soothed. "Retrace your steps. The manager said you left yesterday and never saw you come back."

"Uh, guys?" I whispered, pointing to the window latch. There was a bloody fingerprint on it. I caught the worried look on Sam's face. What if he was right? What if this was what dad had warned Dean about?

Dean seemed surprised but I saw that just as quickly as he was surprised he turned resolved. There had to be a logical reason for all of this. One that wasn't about Sam going darkside. Because there was just something none of us could put a finger on. Something just didn't feel right. Sure, we had found Sam but part of me still ached like he was missing, even though he was right in front of me. He'd barely made eye contact with Aiden or I, instead focusing his attention on Dean. Because Dean had to have all the answers. It was a flashback to our youths, where Dean would have an answer for anything. Why wasn't Dad around? Why did he come home hurt all the time? Why didn't we have a mom? Why didn't we have a house? How come we couldn't get new clothes and toys like other kids? Dean had answers for all those questions and more, being there when we were sick, or hurt, or scared, no matter what. And, now Sam needed that person again and Dean was obliging just like he always would.

Dean led as all around the back of the motel to where the parking lot was. We walked around heading down to where a small street of car storage units were. Dean was asking every so often if Sam recognized anything but so far nothing had triggered a response.

"Wait," Sam called.

We all stopped and looked over at Sam.

"What?" Dean questioned.

"I think I was here," Sam murmured.

"You remember?" Dean asked.

"No, not really," Sam sighed. "It just feels familiar, you know?"

I glanced critically at Sam, wanting to figure out exactly why I was feeling as though this whole thing just didn't feel right. Sam was acting Sam like, or at least I thought so. He was talking the way he always did but there was just something wrong, like Sam was some sort of pod person. Maybe he was just disoriented from not remembering things for two weeks. I mean that would make anyone act weird. Still, something wasn't right and it was going to bother me until I figured out what exactly that was. I glanced up from my musing and noticed that Sam was watching me, an unreadable expression on his face before he smiled. A chill raced down my spine and I took an unconscious step back towards Aiden. Dean wandered over to the storage containers trying to open the first one in the row.

"Hey, try that one," Sam finally said, tearing his eyes from mine. I watched as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a key and handed it to Dean.

Dean glanced from the key to unlock the storage unit. Sam and Dean lifted the door and there was a blue Volkswagen Beetle on the inside. I titled my head and I heard Aiden scoff, Dean was the one with the vocal reaction, "Oh, please, tell me you didn't steal this?"

Sam grimaced at Dean as we all went inside, opening the door and beginning to look around. Sam wiped his finger along the steering wheel then held it up for us. "There's more blood."

"Sam, the backseat," Aiden whispered.

Dean and I glanced in the back seat and saw a bloody knife. Sam climbed in and grabbed it, "You think I used this on someone?"

"I'm not thinking anything," Dean corrected. He leaned over the and grabbed something from the floor, a pack of cigarettes, "Okay, now this is disturbing. Come on, man, this couldn't have been you. It had to have been someone else, someone who smokes menthols."

"There's a gas receipt," Sam shrugged. "It's a few towns over."

Dean frowned down at the car before glancing at Sam, and then looking at us. Finally he ambled off back to the motel parking lot and getting into the impala. We all climbed in and Sam led us straight to the gas station, suddenly remembering the way to get there. We all got out of the car and entered the convenience store, that might as well have been a grocery store for the amount of times we've stopped in at one over the years.

"Hey!" The store clerk yelled glaring irately at Sam, "You, outta here! Now! I'm calling the cops."

"You talking to him?" Dean questioned.

"Yeah, I'm talking to him," The clerk snapped. "Jerk comes in yesterday, stinking drunk, grabs a forty from the fridge, starts chugging."

"This guy?" Dean asked before turning to Sam, "You're drinking malt liquor?"

"Not after he whipped the bottle at my frigging head," The clerk growled.

"This guy?" Dean repeated looking completely stunned.

"What, am I speaking Urdu?" The clerk retorted.

"Look, I'm really sorry if I did anything," Sam whispered.

Once again, that sounded like Sam but at the same time it didn't because no matter what could've happened Sam detests malt liquor and he's never smoked a day in his life, let alone smoked the entire pack.

"You know what?" The clerk muttered. "Tell your story walking, pal. Popo will be here in five."

"Okay, wait," Dean soothed. "He's leaving. Sam, go wait in the car."

"Dean," Sam protested.

"Go wait in the car!" Dean growled.

Sam huffed before walking out of the store. Dean's eyes landed on Aiden and mine before his eyes moved to where Sam was walking towards the car. That was a clear order that we weren't invited to be present for the conversation either. When I moved to protest, seeing how the clerk wasn't trying to get either Aiden or I arrested Dean's eyes hardened. Aiden grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the store. A few minutes later, Dean came out and said that Sam had gone north on Route 71.

"What's going on with you, Sam?" Dean said a suddenly driving after a couple minutes of silence. "Because smoking, throwing bottle s at people, that sounds more like me than you."

"Dean, wait," Sam said, not answering Dean's question. "Turn down that road."

"What?" Dean demanded.

"I don't know how I know, I just do!" Sam responded.

Dean sighed before turning down the road that Sam had pointed out. At the end of the road was a house. Dean parked the car as we all got out. We were climbing the steps when the porch light turned on automatically. A security camera was mounted outside the front door.

"Whoever lives here doesn't like surprises," Sam muttered.

"Should we knock?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Sam shrugged.

Dean began to knock as the rest of us wandered around of the porch. My head shot up when Sam called out and pointed towards the broken windows. The glass pane was completely shattered.

"You'd think this place would have an alarm," Aiden responded.

"Yeah, you would," Sam frowned.

"They was," I muttered.

The electrical breaker box had been disconnected, judging by the pliers still lodged in the device, whoever had done this had done it before. It was as if Sam could feel my eyes on his back because he turned around with the same unreadable expression before turning back around and following Dean into the house.

The entire house was in shambles and each room got worse and worse as we made to the back of the house. Dean wandered into an office and froze. I glanced over him and saw that there was a shadow of a body.

"Hit the lights," Dean ordered.

Sam turned on the lights at the same time that Dean rolled the corpse over. It was a man's body, the entire right side of his face was covered in blood. But, that wasn't the only thing, there was blood everywhere.

"Hailey, leave," Dean ordered.

"What?" I protested.

"_Now_," Dean commanded.

I rolled my eyes but stayed out in the hallway watching through the threshold of the door.

"Dean, I did this," Sam whispered, his voice worried.

"We don't know that," Dean retorted.

"What else do you need to know?" Sam yelled. "I mean, how else do you explain the car, the knife, the blood?"

"I don't know, man, why don't you tell me?" Dean snapped, anger leaking into his tone as he glared up at Sam. "Look, even if you did do this, I'm sure you had a reason: self defense, he was a bad son of a bitch, something."

"I need your lock pick," Sam said after a moment.

"What?" Dean grumbled.

"I need your lock pick," Sam repeated.

Dean rolled his eyes before handing his lock pick, which Sam used to open the closet. It led to another little office, with guns and maps and research all over the walls.

"Oh, my god," I whispered. The guy on the floor was a hunter. This had gone from bad to worse in a second. If this guy really was a hunter than he had friends that would be looking for his killer.

"Hailey!" Dean growled rising from his haunches, "Get outta here. Aiden, go with her, keep her out of this house."

Aiden sighed and turned around pushing me back down the hallway and out of the house. I sat down on the top of the impala glaring irately at the house. It wasn't like I had never seen a dead body before, in fact, I had seen enough to last a lifetime. And despite the fact that I didn't ever want to see another one, I rather know about what is happening with Sam then be kept out of the loop again. I could feel tension rolling off of Aiden in waves as he stood in front of me, his jaw was clenched and his eyes were clouded, he was worried. We all were.

There was a loud, sudden crash from the office and a few minutes later Dean and Sam emerged from the house. They both had bandanas in their house, which meant that they had wiped their prints.

"Video camera in the office, recorded the whole thing," Dean told us. "We mashed it."

"Did he do it, Dean?" I whispered, eyeing Sam the entire time.

"Not now, Hailey," Dean groaned. "Get in the car."

I rolled my eyes and I climbed into the backseat. Aiden came in on the other side and soon we were back at the motel room moving from the car to the room as fast as we could. We walked in and Dean tossed a duffel bag on one of the beds as Aiden and I dropped our duffels on the table.

"All right, we get a couple hours sleep, then we put this place in our rearview mirror," Dean ordered.

The silence in the room was deafening and I hated it. Everything about this situation sucked. Sam might've killed someone and it didn't feel like Sam was here, even though he was slumped on one of the beds.

"Look, I know this is bad, okay?" Dean continued. "But you've gotta snap out of it. Sam, say something!"

"Just get some sleep and leave in the morning?" Sam repeated. "Murder, Dean. That's what I did."

"Maybe," Dean shrugged. Sam scoffed, "Hey, shape shifter."

"Oh, come on," Sam growled. "You know it wasn't, you saw the tape. There was no eye flare, no distortion."

"It wasn't you, all right?" Dean retorted. "I mean, yeah, it might've been you, but it wasn't you."

"I think it was," Sam replied. "I think maybe more than you know."

"And what the fuck does that mean, Sammy?" Aiden asked.

"For the last few weeks, I've been having these feelings," Sam confessed.

"What feelings?" Dean questioned.

"Rage," Sam shrugged. "Hate. And I can't stop it. It just gets worse. Day by day, it gets worse."

"You never told me this," Dean said looking incredibly concerned.

"That's because he's full of shit," I retorted.

"Hailey," Dean reprimanded.

"No, Dean, she may be right," Sam nodded. "Then again, this could be what Dad warned you about when he told you that you may need to kill us."

"You're not Sam," I stated firmly.

"What the fuck, Hails," Aiden demanded.

"Now, she's right," Sam grinned. A full fledged smile. A smile that wasn't even close to Sam's.

Before either Dean or Aiden could stand up Sam waved his hand sending them crashing into the wall. They were unconscious on impact as both their bodies crumpled to the ground. Sam was staring at me, his entire eye a dark, inky black.

"You know, you're smart," Sam said. "Smarter than I gave you credit for. You knew that this wasn't Sam the entire time, didn't you."

"Yeah," I growled.

"You're apart of The Trinity," Sam said again.

"And?"

"Do you realize exactly how powerful you are?"

"Obviously not."

"The three of you are the key. Not two or one, all three of you, and you're going to chose the right side in this war and I'm going to help you chose by killing every hunter I can find."

"Christo," I snarled.

"Stupid, stubborn, child," Sam sighed.

Before I could make sense of that comment, Sam had grabbed a gun from Dean's duffel and slammed he butt of it against my temple. The last thing I heard was the front door closing as I slipped into unconsciousness.

"What the fuck?" I heard one of my brother's snarl.

I groaned as my head protested the movement of my body. My cheek hurt and my head throbbed as I struggled to open my eyes.

"What happened?" Dean demanded, noticing that I was awake.

"Sam's possessed," I stated.

"What?" Aiden gasped.

"Where is he?" Dean questioned.

"He said he was taking out hunters," I said.

"Who is the closest hunter?" Aiden asked.

All three of us looked at each other in horror, "Bobby."

"What are all of you doing in here?" Someone gasped.

We turned our attention to the front door where the front desk manager was standing.

"It's past checkout and I have a couple here who needs a room," The manager stated.

"I bet they do," Dean sneered. "What time is it?"

"Twelve thirty," The manager said.

"The other guy that was with us, have you seen him?" Dean questioned.

"Yeah, he left before dawn in your car, and you all should've gone with him, because now I'm going to have to charge you extra."

"Whatever," Dean muttered. "Guys, move it."

We walked past the disgruntled manager and moving into the parking lot. Once we were sure that he was no longer watching us, Dean hotwired a car and we drove as fast as we could to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We were calling Bobby every few minutes until the phone line was disconnected.

Dean drove faster after that and just as we were entering South Dakota, Dean's phone rang saying that Sam was there and Bobby had gotten Sam into the Devil's trap and he wasn't going anywhere. When we finally got to Bobby's house he met us at the door.

"He hasn't woken up yet," Bobby said.

"Oh, he'll wake up," Dean vowed marching through Bobby's house and into his living room. He filled a bucket full of water and blessed it.

We all circled around the chair in the middle of the Devil's trap with Dean in the middle.

"Hey!" Dean shouted, backhanding Sam across his face.

He came to with a groan before looking at all of us, "The Winchesters in their prime. You seem to be losing your edge, you didn't even notice that I was in your brother. Well, except for Hailey, not that she voiced any of that shit aloud. She got it though, from the very beginning."

"How about I smack that smartass right outta your mouth?" Dean drawled.

"Oh, careful now," Sam smirked. "Wouldn't wanna bruise this fine packaging."

"Oh, don't worry," Dean grinned, "this isn't going to hurt Sam much. You, on the other hand."

Dean grabbed the bucket of Holy Water and dumped it on Sam. He let out a shout as Dean growled, "Feel like talking now?"

"Sam's still my meat puppet," Sam snarled. "I'll make him bite off his tongue."

"No, you won't be in him long enough," Dean corrected. "Bobby?"

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii," Bobby began.

"See, whatever bitch-boy master plan you demons are cooking up," Dean began to hiss as Sam screamed in pain, "you're not getting Sam or Hailey. You understand me? Cause I'm gonna kill every one of you first."

As the exorcism rite continued I watched as Sam's body continued to thrash and moan. Just as Bobby was getting towards the middle of the rite, Sam threw his head back and cackled, startled Bobby stopped reading and stared at Sam.

"You really think that's what this is about?" Sam scoffed. "The master plan? I don't give a rats ass about the master plan."

"Humiliare sub potenti manu dei…" Bobby continued.

"Oops!" Sam laughed before smirking. "Doesn't seem to be working. See, I learned a few new tricks."

Sam bowed his head and began chanting in Latin. The room began to chant and papers started flying because of the wind . I flinched when the fire in Bobby's fire place burst out bathing the room is a sickening flash of light.

"This isn't going like I pictured," Dean shouted. "What's going on Bobby?"

Bobby walked forward and pushed up Sam's leave. There was a symbol burned into his skin, "It's a binding link! It's like a lock. He's locked himself inside Sam's body."

"What the hell do we do?" Dean demanded.

"I don't know!" Bobby responded. Shouting over the demon chanting. Suddenly the ceiling began to crack and then it splintered the Devil's trap breaking the protective circle.

"There," Sam grinned, "That's better."

Sam jerked his head in one direction sending Bobby and Aiden flying. He then moved his head in a different direction and Dean flew slamming headfirst into the wall. Sam glared at me as he broke the binds on his wrists. He pushed past me and made a beeline for Dean. I raised a hand that stopped Sam from moving.

"Smart," Sam applauded turning around, "You're strong, kiddo. But, you're still behind the learning curve."

Sam then raised both his hands and I started rising in the air.

"Hailey!" Dean shouted. "Don't you fucking touch her!"

Sam walked over to where I was floating in the air. I couldn't move and any attempt at using my abilities were stopped before I could even think of them.

"You see, there's predictions for which way the key is going to go," Sam said. "Some think you're going to go good. I, on the other hand no you're not because you're not good, are you, Hailey? Sure, you save people, and hunt the bad things that exist in this world. But, Azazel's blood pumps through your veins."

"I'll never pick Hell's side," I snarled.

"Oh, Hailey, you don't have a choice," Sam grinned.

I struggled in the air, fighting to get down as Sam watched on bemused before he twisted his fingers and I went flying to the wall. I watched as he turned back around and stalked over to Dean.

"You know, when people wanna describe the worst possible thing, they say, it's like hell," Sam began and punched Dean in the jaw, "There's a reason for that. Hell is like…" Sam punched Dean again, "well, it's like hell. Even for demons." Another punch, "It's a prison made of bone and flesh and blood and fear and you sent me back there."

"Meg," Dean guessed. His nose was trickling blood and I was struggling to get up.

"Nope," Sam corrected. "at least not anymore. Now, I'm Sam."

Sam lifted his arm to punch Dean again when Bobby grabbed his arm. He placed a hot fire poker to the binding link on Sam's skin. When Sam began to scream as the demon left his body it was obvious that the lock had broken. Sam slumped forward before quickly coming to and scurrying backward hitting a trunk full of books.

"Sammy?" Dean called.

"Did I miss anything?" Sam asked.

Dean narrowed his eyes before leaning over and punching Sam in the face before falling to the floor groaning. Sam clutched his face as he mouthed the word 'Ow'. Aiden had gotten up a slight limp still in his step as he grabbed both my hands and lifting me to my feet.

"You okay?" Aiden whispered.

"Been better," I said dryly.

"You're bleeding," Aiden noted.

I looked down and there was a steady stream of blood pulling at my side. As soon as I noticed the wound my side began to throb in beat with my heat a shock of pain entering my system. Sam and Bobby had helped Dean up and had walked him to the table sitting him down. I was placed next to him as Bobby went to get a bag of ice for Dean and the first aid kit for me.

Aiden grabbed the first aid kit from Bobby opening up as he gestured for me to remove my shirt. I did as I was told and Aiden frowned as he found the scratch. It wasn't the worst one I ever had but it still wasn't good either. Aiden cleaned it out before wrapping it up. Dean had the ice pack on his bruised face as Sam sat next to him.

"By the way, you really look like crap, Dean," Sam said suddenly a few minutes later.

"Right back at you," Dean retorted.

When Bobby came into the room looking upset, my heart plummeted.

"What's wrong?" Aiden asked.

"You guys ever hear of a hunter named Steve Wendell?" Bobby asked.

I watched as Sam and Dean shifted uncomfortably. So, that was the hunter's name.

"Why do you ask?" Dean replied.

"Just heard from a friend, Wendell's dead," Bobby sighed. "Murdered in his own house. You wouldn't know anything about that?"

Bobby looked at all of us sharply and I frowned looking at Dean.

"No, sir," Dean lied. "Never heard of the guy."

"Dean," Sam protested.

"Good," Bobby nodded. "Keep it that way. Wendell's buddies are looking for someone, or something, to string up, and they're not gonna slow down to listen to reason. You understand what I'm saying?"

"We better hit the road," Dean said after he gave a sharp nod, "At least if we can remember if we parked the car."

Sam flushed at the words as Bobby stepped closer, "Here, take these."

"What are they?" Sam asked.

"Charms," Bobby answered, making sure we each had one, "They'll fend off against possession. That demon is still out there. This'll stop it from getting back up in you."

"That sounds vaguely dirty," Dean grinned, "But thank you."

"You're welcome," Bobby said as he exchanged looks with my brothers before pulling me into a hug, "You all be careful now."

"You, too," Sam said, glancing apologetically at Bobby before following Dean out of the house. I moved forward following Sam and Aiden as Dean led us out, after tossing the ice pack to Bobby.

I climbed into the backseat of the impala. Curling up on the seat so that I could wrap my arms around my shins as I rested my head on my knees. I wondered if Meg had a point. Did Azazel's blood sway whatever it was that allowed The Trinity to work? What if we were doomed to help the demons win the war? Dean had once said that no one could control you but you, but as the obstacles became harder and harder to overcome, I wondered if that was true.


	30. The Floodgates Are Breaking

**_Author's Note: The links page on my profile for this story has been revised and updated. Check it out for character concepts. Also, I worked on this mostly during Labor Day weekend and decided to post it the day before the US Season Five premire. So, have a happy supernatural Thursday as well as happy reading. Please, read and review. ~Beccatdemon13_**

**Chapter Thirty: The Floodgates Are Breaking**

"_She breathes him in deep and like sweet kerosene, he ignites her soul."_

"This isn't a good idea," Dean muttered.

"You want one of us to get possessed again?" Aiden responded.

"Bobby gave us charms," Dean groused.

"I think it's a good idea," Sam shrugged. "Charms can get torn off the necklace."

"I'm going first," I replied.

"Like hell you are," Dean growled.

"Dean, you're being unreasonable," Sam sighed.

"Sir, if you and your party aren't ready I have other customers," The receptionist frowned.

"No, we're ready," I stated.

"Alright, then come in," The tattooist said. "Where do you want it?"

"Lower back," I said.

"You are not getting a tramp stamp!" Dean snapped.

"It's my body, Dean," I grumbled.

"No," Dean stated firmly.

"I'm either getting a tramp stamp or I'll put it on my chest. Which would you rather, Dean?"

Dean glared down at me as I stared back unfazed. Sure, maybe I should've realized that Dean wouldn't be the biggest fan of tattoos but they had more durability than a necklace. It also didn't matter where exactly the tattoo was as long as it was on my body. Finally, Dean relented and allowed me to climb onto the chair while the tattooist began to stencil the design on. It was a pentagram tattoo that was surrounded by a starburst. I wasn't going to lie, getting the tattoo was uncomfortable but the end result was awesome. It managed to be both pretty and practical.

My brothers went on right after the other getting it on their chests. When they were bandaged and ready to go we paid on Sam's credit card before leaving Minnesota. I couldn't tell where exactly we were going, Dean hadn't really discussed a job. Not that we were ready for one. Sam was still feeling guilty about the whole being possessed thing, not that I could blame him. It wasn't his fault though, but Sam became guilty over everything.

I realized quickly so that Dean was driving back towards the Roadhouse. It seemed like every time we finished a hunt we ended up at the Roadhouse. Maybe it was because more and more hunters were showing up at the Roadhouse and that this was where Abby and Lucy were staying and with Ash tracking nearly every demon omen known to man, the Roadhouse was the place to be. We arrived nearly in the middle of the night and stumbled back to our rooms with Ellen glaring at Dean sternly. Obviously disapproving of driving this late at night.

For some unnamable reason I hadn't been sleeping that much. I use to be able to sleep until noon but now.

I wasn't able to sleep past nine on any given day. And with a somewhat stable living environment we got to wake up whenever we wanted to. I chose instead of waiting in the confines of the roadhouse, maybe surrounded by hunters I had never seen before, to run around the compound, which was a little more than two miles. I was running the second revolution, my breathing steady and the steady beat of my feet on the ground. I was wearing a sports bra and track pants. I was wearing the one pair of sneakers I owned and ran at a pace that was a little past comfortable. Something that wasn't too easy to let my mind wander but not too hard that I would fry the leg that I had broken a while ago. It was still healing and had taken to aching before storms. I knew it would all go away as soon as it went back to it's normal strength but until then it was better that I don't push it too much.

"You're up early," Someone stated.

"You enjoy sneaking up on people?" I responded.

"No," Darren retorted. "I just find it interesting that you and your brothers got here around two this morning and you're up at 9:30."

"It's not interesting it's just fact," I replied.

"You haven't been sleeping," Darren guessed.

"I have," I corrected. "Just not long as I use to."

"That's not good," Darren mused irritatingly keeping pace with me even as I began to run faster, "You need sleep to be on top of your game."

"I am on top of my game, Whitman," I groused.

"Really?" Darren scoffed.

"You have something you want to say, say it," I demanded stopping suddenly.

"Show me," Darren said.

"Show you what?" I snapped.

"Show me that you're on the top of your game," Darren smirked.

"No," I growled.

I began to walk back to the roadhouse when Darren caught my arm, stopping me in my tracks. I heard the whoosh of air behind the beginnings of a punch and ducked away kicking out to separate myself from Darren.

"What the fuck, Whitman?" I demanded.

"What's wrong, Hails?" Darren grinned. "This too much for you."

"Why are you being such a dick?" I frowned.

"Because I'm not going to kid-glove you like everyone else here," Darren shrugged. "Now, come on, Winchester, give me your best shot."

That was the annoying thing about Darren. He was one of the sweetest guys in the world but he loved pushing people's buttons. He was good at it too. He normally only pushed at people when they weren't doing as well as he thought they could. Still, having that kind of attitude directed at me was severing my already severed nerves. I rocked back on the balls of my feet as Darren swung another punch. I kicked him back and put up my fists. I was going to show him that if anyone was off their game it was him. I chose to be more on the defensive than the offensive, Darren happily obliged throwing punch after punch before I swooped down low kicking his legs out from under him, he landed hard on his back and a puff of dust flew into the air.

"Guess I'm not the only one loosing their edge," I grinned.

"Cute, Hailey," Darren grumbled before one of his hands latched onto my ankle and pulled sending me into the ground. The air whooshed out of my lungs and in the lapse of movement, Darren scrambled on top of me pinning me to the ground.

"You were saying?" Darren grinned.

"Asshole," I smiled.

Darren's hands were restraining my wrists and his body were keeping me still. I watched as Darren's smirk slowly slipped off his face as he began to look at me. His grip on my wrists slackened slightly as his body began to move closer to me. I shifted making myself more comfortable. Darren's grip on my wrists were removed completely as he placed a palm on either side of my head. My veins felt like they were boiling as my heart began to race. I felt myself begin to flush as Darren moved closer to me before he placed his lips on mine. My body arched forward as one of Darren's hands buried itself in my hair.

A rush of emotions swirled around me. I wasn't going to lie and say I wasn't attracted to Darren because I was but I still felt guilty. Part of me would always love Trevor, he was my first everything. But, it felt right being here with Darren in this moment. My veins sizzled as my arms snaked up Darren's sides.

"What the hell are you two doing?" A voice boomed in the quiet morning.

Darren rolled off me as I glanced over and saw Ellen bearing down on us. Her face set in a disapproving frown.

"Hailey Winchester, just what do you think you're doing?"

"Sorry, ma'am," I sighed.

"You were raised better than to roll around with some boy in the dirt," Ellen scolded sharply. "Clean yourself up. You too, Darren."

"Yes ma'am," Darren and I chorused jogging off to the direction of the roadhouse.

While I was embarrassed that Ellen had caught us she gave me a chance to think about what had happened. Darren and Trevor were two different people and I loved Trevor but I was also attracted to Darren. As I ran back into the roadhouse I ran into Lucy. Her head snapped up as she watched me approach.

"Hails?" Lucy greeted cautiously.

"Can you see Trevor?" I demanded.

"Hailey, I don't understand…" Lucy began.

"Please, Lucy, can you?" I whispered.

"Yes," Lucy replied. "Hailey, what happened?"

"I kissed Darren," I whimpered collapsing next to her, "and I liked it."

"Trevor wants you to be happy, Hails," Lucy whispered. "If Darren makes you happy then you have his blessing."

"I miss him so much," I sighed.

"He misses you too," Lucy answered. "And he's so proud of you."

I stifled a sob as Lucy pulled me into a hug. Everything was just impossibly difficult. We were the key to the apocalypse. I still loved Trevor but now I had all new feelings for Darren and I could tell he felt the same way. Dean was going to hell in about four months and so far we had found nothing to stop it and with everyday that passed a little more help was lost.

"I'm going to go take a shower," I whispered once I composed my emotions.

I ambled off towards the backroom and slipped into the bathroom. I turned on the shower and waited until the water was nearly scalding hot. I stepped inside and watched as the dirt and grime from my run wash down the drain.

By the time I was done showering, the Roadhouse was more alive. People were awake and nearly everyone was armed with mugs of coffee and newspapers. I weaved my way through the crowd noticing that Abby had finally woken up along with Dean, Sam, and Aiden. I looked around trying to find Darren while I was walking over to my brothers. I knew that Ellen wouldn't tell them what had happened this morning but it was better that Darren wasn't in the vicinity of my brothers, they had an uncanny ability to realize what had happened at any given time. It was handy when we were hunting but down right frustrating in our normal day-to-day lives.

"What's with you?" Aiden asked.

"What?" I responded.

"You look like you did something you weren't supposed to," Aiden clarified. "So, what was it?"

"Nothing," I rolled my eyes.

"And now you're lying," Aiden grinned. "Come on, Hay, out with it. What did you do?"

"Why are you so happy this morning?" I retorted.

"Nice attempt at redirection," Aiden smirked. "Honestly, I'm just in a good mood. And, now I want to understand what you're trying to hide from us."

"Hey, Hails, can we talk?" Darren asked.

I blushed bright red as Darren placed a hand on my shoulder. Aiden's face went from amused to slightly horrified as he glanced between Darren and I.

"Okay, that's just disgusting," Aiden groaned as he ambled back to Sam and Dean.

"Shut up, Aiden!" I snapped.

"Everything okay?" Darren asked as I led him to the backrooms of the roadhouse.

"Yeah, he just knows me too well," I sighed.

"Hailey, I'm sorry about this morning," Darren said. "I came on too strong."

"It's okay," I replied. "Honestly, I'm glad you did."

"Really?" Darren smiled.

"Yeah," I smiled.

"Well, then, I retract my former apology," Darren grinned as he slowly backed me against the wall.

"Good," I smirked.

This time I made the first move snaking my fingers out and curling them around his belt loops as I dragged him closer to me. He smiled caught off guard as I began to kiss him. Once again the height difference made things a little awkward so Darren picked me up, placing me on top of my dresser as we continued to kiss. Our hands roamed all over each other before my hands landed on his shoulders as one of his arms snaked behind my back tugging me closer to him, while the other one rested on my thigh.

"Wow, I always knew you were a slut, Winchester but damn, even I didn't think you would go that low," A voice sneered.

"Aw, Georgie, you haven't died yet?" I snapped as I disentangled myself from Darren's arms and hopped off the dresser.

"Ooh, that's not nice," Georgina Sparks scoffed.

"Good," I replied. "Only the best for an offspring of Satan, right?"

"Cute, Winchester," Georgie growled. "I wonder how Dean would feel if he caught you all over some boy?"

"Probably the same way Greg would feel when he finds out exactly where you make your extra money. How's the prostitution business? Corner's getting mighty cold, ain't it?"

"Now, now, girl's we're all friends here," Another voice joined the fray.

"Hey Greg," I rolled my eyes.

Where ever Georgie went Greg wasn't far behind. The Sparks twins were well known in the hunting world for all the wrong reasons. For some who knew what was really out there: most chose to fight, while others such as the Sparks' chose to benefit from it selling amulets and talismans even going so far as to steal them. Last I checked the Sparks weren't allowed anywhere near the Roadhouse but if Rumors were true Georgie and Greg had decided to be hunters as well as maintain the family business. Both Sparks' twins had brown eyes and brown hair. Both shared the same lanky frame, although Georgina was more curvy and for all she called me a slut, she was one who flaunted what she had at every given opportunity.

"Aw, Hails, you look so excited to see us," Greg smirked.

"Go fuck yourself," I snapped.

"What's wrong, Hails, still upset about Milwaukee?" Georgie asked

_It had been a year since Aiden had left for school and four years since Sam had left. Luckily, they were both at Stanford but I still had a small amount of anger over how everything went down. What irritated me the most was now the we were down two of our team, Dad and Dean had stepped up my training and I went on my first hunt a few months ago._

_I was still a newbie in the game and I wished more than anything that Aiden and Sam could see how good I've gotten. Even Dad had said so. Dean and I were currently in Milwaukee working a job. We were pretty sure that it was just a spirit that was going after all these people._

_You see, two months ago this new couple buys this old abandoned property, hoping to knock it down and rebuild. So, the first day they break ground a construction worker gets electrocuted to death. Three more construction workers die after that before the project was shut down. But, once a spirit is awakened (and they hate that) that's it. It's awake and it's pissed. Gunning for anything and everyone. That's where Dean and I decided to step in. Of course, nothing is ever that easy._

_The family that had bought the property was Tony and Pepper Sparks. They had two children: twins, Gregory and Georgina Sparks. The weird thing about the Sparks family was that they had called Dad personally. As it turns out they were mercenaries, they knew about what truly existed in this world but chose to us it for personal gain. When Dean and I came to help them out they knew all about us, right down to our social security numbers. Georgina and I didn't get along, choosing instead to argue whenever we could._

_The entire Sparks family had set us up. There was a ghost but it wasn't one that was tied to the house. As it turns out it was summoned. Georgina had it kill people enough people for it to be considered a supernatural problem and then called Dad who had turned the case over to us. But, Georgina wasn't the one getting her hands dirty. She convinced one of the servants to do it: Gabby Daniels. If only I had known that…_

_Ghosts don't like being made to kill. And, they especially don't like people bothering them. Dean nearly died before I realized what was going on. It was just an empty sight, nothing bad had happened in or around it. I was so confused and I was desperate: Dad was halfway across the country and I couldn't ask Dean for help when he was laid out at the motel room, recuperating. I had called Bobby in a panic asking what it could've been. When he told me that some charms can make it so that spirits are at the controller's beck and call I realized that was what had happened. I destroyed the charm that night, which Gabby was controlling. What I didn't know was by destroying the device that was keeping the spirit maintained it would set it loose and would in turn go straight for the people that had woken it up: Gabby Daniels. She didn't know what she had done, Georgina hadn't told her that. She just said it was a 'protection spell'. _

_The ghost didn't care what Gabby had been told and ripped her ripped to shreds and I watched unable to intervene. I tried to save her she didn't deserve to die. No one did, not like that. The last thing I remember was by attempting to stop the carnage the ghost tossed me out of the window. When I came to, I was in the roadhouse and no one really talked about what happened. Except for Georgina, who had been watching the entire thing enough to give me a play by play._

"Shut the fuck up, Georgina!" I shouted.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Darren asked.

"Now, who are you?" Georgie grinned.

"Darren Whitman," Darren introduced looking between Georgie and I.

"Oh, that's right," Georgie stated. "Trevor died, you're moving awfully fast, aren't you, Hailey?"

"First of all, it's been more than seven months," I growled stepping closer to her, "Second, none of this is your business and third, get the _fuck_ away from me before I smash your face in."

"I'm not afraid of you," Georgie snapped.

"You should be," I smiled.

"Oh, is little Hailey no longer afraid to get her hands dirty?" Georgie taunted. "To think way back when you had been nearly hysterical if someone mentioned Milwaukee in casual conversation."

"Things change," I hissed.

"Besides, Hails, isn't quite the violent type," Abby smirked. "I am."

Before I could blink Lucy and Abby were on either side of me as we all glared at Georgie. I knew that Lucy and Abby didn't exactly know who Georgie was the way I was acting around her was enough for them.

"I suggest you leave her alone," Lucy said.

"Before we really hurt you," Abby grinned.

"The Trinity," Georgie laughed. "So, it is true."

"Perhaps," Abby shrugged. "You'll never know."

"That's not true," Greg corrected. "We know a lot about all of you. Born the same day, minutes apart, all over the country. The ability to sense the others, feel what the others are feeling, know what the others know. You're all pieces to a puzzle that's only whole when you're all together. Am I close?"

"Whoa!" Georgie squealed.

Abby had reacted almost instantly slamming Greg against the wall, a fist that was glowing with fire a few inches away from his face. When Georgie moved to throw Abby off I threw Georgie against the wall and kept her there. I winced when she let out a loud wail. She was such a drama queen, we weren't hurting either of them. Not a lot of people knew that much about the Trinity so honestly that was the main reason why anyone who did, other than Natasha, was perceived as a threat.

"What the hell is going on?" Dean shouted storming into the back room with Aiden, Sam, and Ellen on his heels.

"Your sister's lost her damn mind!" Georgie growled. "Tell her to let me go."

"Hailey," Dean sighed.

"They started it," I hissed.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"They know about the Trinity," Abby snapped.

"And?" Sam questioned.

"They know a lot, Sammy," I whispered. "Too much."

"We have connections," Georgie groused. "That's not our fault."

"No, but it's our problem," Abby hissed.

"No, I'm your problem," Dean contradicted. "Cool off, Abs, and let him go. Now."

"Dean," I protested.

"Lucy, Abigail, Hailey, remove yourself from the situation before I do it for you," Dean ordered sharply.

We shared one long look with one another before Abby abruptly dropped Greg who landed on his feet, while I released his sister who slumped against the wall looking terrified. Seriously, what I did to Jake all those months ago was ten times worse than anything I'd ever do to Georgie Sparks.

We all managed to turn on our heels at the same time as we walked out of the backroom or more specifically the backrooms hallways and into the man room where Jo, Ash, and everyone else were fighting very hard to pretend that they didn't want to know what had happened.

"This is bullshit," Abby grumbled.

"Guys, attacking people who know about us might not be the best course of action," Lucy whispered.

"Luce, come on," I shook my head. "You guys don't know the Sparks twins like I do. The only reason they want to know things is so they can use that to their advantage. To them we're nothing more than another oddity to sell off for a large sum of money."

"Hails," Lucy sighed.

"Lucy, I know you think we're being unreasonable but we are different from everyone else," I stated firmly. "So, we have to protect ourselves."

"Not everyone is an enemy," Lucy protested.

"You're right," Abby agreed. "But, not everyone deserves our trust either. The less people know the better."

"Demons know all about us," Lucy retorted. "It would give hunters an edge if they knew about us too."

"Or they can think we're aligned with hell and try to take us out," I stated. Immediately my mind went to Gordo Walker who thought that both Sam and I as well as others like us were fair game just because we had a little demon blood pumping through our veins. Those were the extremists who saw everything in only black and white. It was an easy thing to do in this world. It offered a sense of comfort. Nothing was complicated if things were either good or evil with nothing in between.

Unfortunately at the start of my fledgling powers, I realized exactly how wrong the majority of hunters were. If anything this life was harder than most. And nothing was ever black and white. Nearly everything I had come across had shades of gray. You couldn't kill a demon without inadvertently killing the host, which had happened on occasion. Then again demons enjoyed riding their puppet right into the ground. Sometimes the demon was the only thing keeping the person alive. But, being dead was better than not being able to control your own body. Or at least that's what I believed. And if the way Sam was acting was anything to go by possession was one of the more horrible experiences that could happen to someone.

"Your brothers are fucking intimidating, you know that?" Abby sighed.

"I've been told," I snarked.

Over the past couple of months my brothers had gotten fairly close to both Abby and Lucy. I had caught Aiden, Sam, and Dean casting protective glances whenever one of the male patrons got a little too forward. I wondered if Abby and Lucy noticed. They probably had not a lot got by the three of us anymore. Well, some things did but I knew my brothers way too well for them to hide anything from me. Of course, this also went both ways, which was both a positive and in this particular case, as I watched Dean storm out of the back room with fire in his gaze as he headed straight for us, a negative thing. This was basically the one movement of Dean's that screamed someone was in trouble. I hated being on the other side of that movement but at least I wasn't alone.

"What the hell was that?" Dean demanded.

"Georgie being her typical self," I replied.

"Hailey," Dean frowned.

"I didn't hurt her," I said. "I was just keeping her from getting in the way. I kept her from getting hurt."

"You guys can't just go on the offensive that fast," Dean growled.

"The Sparks are a different story, Dean," I protested. "You don't trust them either."

"Hailey, people who know about you know that you three are the key," Dean stated. "In the legend it says that you all can lean in either direction. Hurting people aligned with this side isn't the wisest move."

"We know," Abby sighed.

"Yeah, says the one who nearly set someone on fire," Dean scoffed.

"Dean, I think we react instinctually, if one person reacts we all do," Lucy said.

"That's terrific," Dean muttered. "You guys have to tone it down, get me?"

"Yes, sir," Lucy, Abby, and I chorused.

"Good," Dean nodded. "Now, if you all that much energy to start a fight, then you all should have no problem running it off."

"Georgie started it," I fumed.

"Why do you let her get under your skin, Hailey?" Dean asked. "Seriously, the girl's a bitch and we all know that. But, I'm getting tired of me having to do damage control every time you both are in the same vicinity just because you can't control your temper."

"I had control," I replied.

"Really?" Dean retorted. "You're sure about that?"

"Yeah, Dean, I didn't hurt her and I could've," I said. "Abby didn't hurt Greg either."

"I recognize a scare tactic when I see one," Dean grumbled. "I'm just not condoning it. The Sparks' are nothing. Hailey and the sooner you realize that the better. Now, go run some laps."

I recognized a lost cause when I saw it and when Dean wanted us to run laps, we were going to run laps regardless. Dean was a lot like Dad when it came to training and conditioning. It wasn't a joke. Sparring and running were what we did to stay on task and there were situations where us running was the only reason why we were alive. So, sparring and running were taken very seriously. I was one of the luckier Winchester offspring, I liked running, Aiden couldn't stand it. It just sucked a little that I had already ran today but, a few laps with Lucy and Abby wouldn't hurt either.

Abby, Lucy, and I parted ways when they went off to practice shooting. I changed into normal clothes and helped Jo with inventory. When I saw Jo glance over my head, I turned around and saw that Darren was leaning against the threshold.

"Hey, Jo, can you give us a minute?" Darren asked.

"Knock yourselves out," Jo replied.

"So what was all that about?" Darren questioned.

"The Sparks and I don't really get along," I shrugged.

"Really?" Darren grinned. "I had no idea."

"They set us up a while ago," I sighed. "Dean got really hurt, I had to handle it myself and got someone killed."

"Oh, Hails," Darren whispered.

"It's okay," I whispered. "I just hate it. Georgie manipulated the girl into doing it because she knew what would happen if the controlling charm was broken."

"What a bitch," Darren grumbled.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"And all that Trinity stuff?" Darren prodded. "I did some research."

"Whatever you found is probably true." I folded my arms.

"Okay," Darren replied.

"Okay?" I repeated.

"Yeah," Darren explained. "It doesn't bother me. I like you, Hailey. And I know you'd never let the demons win."

"Thanks, Darren," I smiled.

I leaned my head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around me. I had barely sat still since we had killed Azazel, and had found out about Dean's deal. It was nice to just stop and pretend that my life wasn't some giant clusterfuck.

Darren and I stayed close together for the rest of the day. Only separating when he had to go pick something up in town and I had to help Ellen and Jo with dinner. Somehow Ellen managed to excuse herself from the kitchen leaving Jo and I alone. I realized that despite the Roadhouse nearly being my home for the past couple months, Jo and I hadn't seen each other all that much.

"Darren Whitman, huh?" Jo grinned as she chopped up some onions for the tomato sauce.

"Yup," I grinned.

"He's a good guy, Hails," Jo nodded.

"I know," I whispered.

"You okay?" Jo asked.

"Just been an overwhelming couple of months, ya know?" I sighed.

"Yeah, I had an idea," Jo grimaced. "First Dean's deal, then finding out that you're apart of some legend, and with all the mess that happened after Sam's possession? It's been insane. Trouble finds you Winchesters easily, there's no doubt about that."

"Yeah, aren't we the lucky ones," I scoffed.

"Yup," Jo said and I raised a brow, "Because you have all these people willing to do anything they can to help you."

"Aw, Jo," I smiled.

"Shut up, Hails," Jo laughed.

"Do you like Lucy and Abby?" I asked.

"Of course," Jo said. "Why? Did you guys have a fight?"

"No, it's not that," I replied. "I was just thinking about how quickly they were accepted by everyone."

"I think it's part of the legend," Jo suggested. "I mean you guys have so much in common and compliment each other rather well. It's hard to believe that you're all not actually related. Especially with the way that your brothers protect the three of you. They don't do that for just anyone."

"I know," I smiled. "It's just sorta scary with all of us being the key and all. And that I just feel content now that they're here."

"It's understandable," Jo said. "Besides when are our lives not weird?"

"Too true."

"Hey!" Aiden shouted from the main room. "Can you all hurry it up? I'm starving!"

"Aiden Riley Winchester, get your butt off Ellen's counter top before I whack you with a spoon.," A woman's firm tone ordered as the front door banged open. I had heard that voice before, "And don't you cuss at me, boy."

"Missouri?" I smiled.

Both Jo and I ran out of the kitchen and saw that it was, in fact, Missouri. Missouri had always been apart of the family. Even though she was always harder on Aiden and Dean. But, they knew that she loved all of us dearly. Missouri was a psychic and a strong one at that. She could read your thoughts as well as see the future. She had taught Natasha everything she knew, even going so far as to adopt her.

The sad thing about Natasha was that she was found on Missouri's doorstep when she was just a couple months old. She had know idea of who her biological family was but she didn't care. Missouri and the rest of us were enough for her. Missouri had hugged Natasha who was know standing by my brothers as I brushed by them to give her a good. Missouri pulled my close. When I packed up she hugged Jo.

"It's good to see you, Missouri," Sam smiled.

"Thank you, baby," Missouri replied. "It's good to see all of you."

I looked at one of the nicest people that my father had ever found. She cared a lot about everything and everyone. And she was smart using her abilities in ways that I couldn't even dream of. She was about five feet t all but her personality was huge. She had a warm smile. Her skin was a smooth dark mocha and she had beautiful brown eyes.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're here for something else?" Dean said.

"Patience, boy," Missouri scolded. "But, I did come here for a reason. I need to talk to Hailey, Lucy, and Abby."

"Are we okay?" I asked.

"Don't worry, baby," Missouri soothed. "Natasha explained what she had found. I'm going to tell you more about what the Trinity really is and what Azazel did to you."

An anxious feeling spread over my body as she looked at me carefully. She had said that there was nothing to worry about. But, of course that made me concerned. What if what Azazel did had made things worse? What if we were predisposed to lean towards the demon's side?


	31. Down on Your Knees

_**Author's Note: So, here's the next chapter. I've been working on it at night and during free time and sometimes during classes. 0_0 Anyway, thank you so much for all the alerts and reviews I have received thus far. You guys are awesome, please keep it coming. I'm hoping/wishing that it will hit 200 reviews before or around chapter forty. Care to make my dream a reality? Okay, so enough pestering on reviews. I'd just how proud of this story I am. It's everything I've imagined and more. 380 pages on Word and I'm not even close to done!. Thank you so much, you guys, for giving me feedback (keep it coming!) and giving the Winchester Clan universe another shot. Happy reading! ~Beccatdemon13**_

**Chapter Thirty-One: Down on Your Knees**

"_Fiction and reality collide,_

_faceless and so busted up inside._

_You've been searching, you've been crying out._

_Will you be destroyed by all your doubt?_

_You decide, who will you run to?"_

Abby, Lucy, Missouri, and I were in my room, sitting in a somewhat awkward silence. Missouri hadn't wanted anyone else sitting in for this, not even my brothers or Natasha. I squirmed nervously. Abby and Lucy had introduced themselves to Missouri and the woman seemed pleased to meet them.

"Missouri, what's happening?" I whispered.

"A time of darkness is coming and you three are the only thing that stands in its way," Missouri stated.

Abby, Lucy, and I shot each other panicked glances. There was no way that us being the only thing between hell on earth was a good thing.

"It gets worse," Missouri sighed. "I translated the original prophecy…

A time of darkness is rising,

Blood is the final price to pay.

Three to stand between the light and shadow.

The Trinity is born in a world on the brink of destruction.

Three less one and darkness triumphs

The end of the world is upon us all,

Only three stand between the world and its end."

"I can't believe this," I groaned.

"Baby girl, pull it together," Missouri scolded. "You're stronger than you give yourself to credit for. You all are. Now other than that prophecy the origins and what made The Trinity is entrenched in mystery."

"How are we supposed to do it?" Lucy asked. "Clap our hands as say Apocalypse no?"

"You can all tap into each others thoughts and emotions, using it as a way to communicate," Missouri told us. "You might be able to use each others abilities. Tap into memories. Don't look so concerned there are blocks in place and you'll know if someone is trying to pry."

Lucy, Abby, and I glanced at each other and shrugged simultaneously.

"Just be careful, babies," Missouri replied. "There's entire world gunning for your deaths. All they have to do is get one of you and they win."

"This all can't rest on us," Abby protested.

"We're eighteen years old," I said.

"There's been a terrible weight put on all of your shoulders," Missouri said. "I know that and it's not going to be easy. But you three can do it. I know you can."

I frowned as Missouri got up and kissed my forehead before leaving the room. Abby, Lucy, and I stared at each other. I didn't even need the telepathic connection we apparently had to know that Abs and Luce was just as freaked out as I was.

**Abby's Point of View**

"_When all choice is taken from you, life becomes a game of survival."_

Sure, Baltimore was one of the most dangerous cities in America. But, honestly, it was hype. We had crime, just like everyone. But if you were smart you were fine. I'd like to say I had never been mugged, it would be false. Or say that someone never tried to rape me, again, tried and failed.

Then again if you grow up in the street then you learned things quickly. Learned how to read people and situations. There was the flight or fight reflex and then there was the live or be stupid and die. I learned very quickly if a situation didn't involve you, you were better to keep it that way.

Granted teenagers can't live on the street forever. I was caught and turned into a ward of the state when I was ten years old. I had been living in a group home ever since. The kids there were vicious and I kept to myself. I only fought when someone tried to steal the meager belongings that I had to call my own.

I had thought that I was only going to be a street rat forever. Finding odds and ends to make money. I tried to go to school but ended up dropping out and getting my GED. It was weird, the older I got the more trouble I got into. Wrong place at the wrong time. I had a little criminal record going. Just breaking and entering, grand theft autos and a few assault and battery's thrown in for good measure.

I had just turned eighteen when weird things started to happen to me. One day I got so angry with this girl on my floor because she kept trying to say that I had fucked her boyfriend. I hadn't and being accused of being a slut didn't really do a whole lot for me. Suddenly there was wind in the room, even though the door and all the windows was closed. Papers were blown around and the girl accussing me of messing with her boyfriend was slammed against the wall. I was thrown into the single room for about two weeks. I thought it was just a fluke then one day fire appeared out of nowhere when I had gotten a small surge of anger. Then I noticed, when I was upset it rained, when I was afraid it was windy, when I was angry things got set on fire. Yeah, life was normal in the life of a freak. It just figured that things piled one on top of another. I had no family or at least none that wanted me, I was a ward of the state with a criminal record, and now I was some psychic freak. If that wasn't enough when my abilities began to manifest there felt like some part of me was missing. I had never felt that way before, I didn't like it.

When I woke up in Cold Oak, South Dakota. I was so confused not that I had a chance to figure out why I was there. I was quickly joined by all these people. When I saw Lucy and Hailey I got this jolt. Lucy stared right at me, while Hailey seemed more than a little preoccupied. It was easy to see that we had all grown up in different ways. But, Hailey and I had some similarities. She was apparently some demon hunter and her family was well known. They were good, scary good and she was just like them. When she told us all it was a demon most people reacted like she was crazy. It was then I realized that maybe, just maybe there were things out there that actually worse then people.

Now, I could use what I learned on the street to my advantage. I already knew how to fire a gun, and wield a knife. Hailey and Lucy taught me how to control my abilities, separate them from my emotions. Hailey and Hailey's friend Natasha taught me Latin, exorcisms and protection rites. I realized, and quickly so that there was an entire world out thee that most people never even realized and now we were apart of it.

Together we were The Trinity, the only thing standing in the way between hell on earth. Somehow, against all the odds out there I was optimistic that we could actually do this. Hailey, on the other hand didn't look so sure. In fact, she looked completely terrified. And, if this scared someone who had grown up around all this shit, then this was going to be a lot more difficult than I thought.

**Lucy's Point of View**

"_I'll rise from my sorrow. Let the sun shine on my face. All alone in comfort. It's my solitude I will embrace. "_

Who's to say I had an easy life? It's not my fault I was born into a multi-million dollar family. The fact that my family was 'Old Money' didn't help me. I had my entire life mapped up. All my choices handed on a silver platter. The best boarding schools. The most prestigious Ivy League schools gunning for me. Sure I had a 4.3 GPA but they wanted the Senator's daughter to go to their school.

Daniel Mackenzie was my father. He was one of the best politicians I knew. Mostly because he knew how to swing the pity vote. A grieving family left without the matriarch. When my mother died a little more than two years ago it was horrible. Because before my mother had been able to act as a buffer between my father and I. With her gone I was the one he focused on. The one who had to be perfect so I wouldn't mess with his campaign. Like the Seattle voting public gave a shit about an eighteen year old.

Luckily, during the school year I was in boarding school half way across the country. I had just come back from class when my room got real cold. I nearly had a heart attack when I turned around and saw my mother sitting on my bed.

"Momma?" I whispered.

"Baby," Mom smiled.

"You're…"

"I'm so sorry, Lucy," Mom said.

"Momma, how is this?" I whimpered.

"You're going to be okay," Mom promised.

"Momma!"

She had vanished just as quickly as she came to me. After that more and more spirits came to me, happy that someone could see them. I was wondering why my mom had apologized. It all made sense when I met Abby and Hailey. When Hailey said there was demons involved I realized that may be why my mom had been apologizing. But, why would my mom work with a demon? Did she know I was apart of The Trinity? That me, Hailey, and, Abby were the only people standing in the way of something unspeakable?

Honestly, I was glad I found them. We were all broken in some way. I never really felt like I belonged with my family. Hailey kept loosing her loved ones, and Abby never really had a home. Together we were The Trinity. The fitting pieces to the puzzle. I knew that we could do what we were destined for but that didn't mean we weren't worried. Hell, Hailey looked terrified. Abby looked stubborn and I didn't know how to feel.

**Hailey's Point of View**

"Hailey, what is going on?" Aiden demanded.

"What are you talking about?" I sighed.

After Missouri had dropped the bomb we had all wandered in different directions. I chose to stay in my room, knowing that I couldn't handle my family's questions. It looked like they couldn't wait to question what was going on or at least Aiden couldn't wait. Not that I could blame him, I'd be going out of my mind if this was happening to one of them.

"Don't lie, Hailey," Aiden complained.

"Aiden, you really don't want to know," I sighed.

"And that's a cop-out," Aiden snapped. "If I'm asking I want to know. I'm going to find out eventually, you might as well tell me now."

"I don't want to fucking talk about it," I retorted sharply. "That okay with you?"

"No, not really," Aiden said, "and neither is that attitude."

"Aiden," I groaned.

"Hailey," Aiden responded..

"We're the only thing that stands between the demons and hell on earth," I spat. "That what you wanted to know? If one of us dies the worlds over. That's it, the end."

"That can't be true," Aiden said. "Come on, Hails. Maybe you're one of the things standing in the way but you have to think there are blocks in place just in case the apocalypse actually happens."

"If it happens it's all of our faults," I sighed. "Abby, Lucy, and I…"

"Will do all you can," Aiden interrupted. "You're putting too much pressure on yourself. And you're going to snap."

"That's not true," I whispered.

"Oh, really?" Aiden arched a brow, "You haven't been sleeping, you've read nearly every book possible to help Dean and his deal, you're suddenly involved in this prophecy. If you're not feeling the heat of all that there's something wrong with you."

"Thanks," I snapped, "That makes me feel awesome."

"Don't be so sensitive, Hay," Aiden frowned.

I groaned and covered my face with my hands. I could feel Aiden's eyes probing the situation and I rolled my eyes.

"Stop looking at me like that," I complained.

I felt an a hand on my arm and sighed. My bed shifted as Aiden sat down next to me. I moved myself from where I laid with my feet against the wall and turned so that my head was on Aiden's thigh. One of his hands threaded its way through my hair. I closed my eyes and tried to shut off my mind. Honestly there wasn't a moment that went by that my mind wasn't pulling me in a thousand different directions. And while it would work for a while, I couldn't keep this up forever.

I growled in frustration as my eyes began to well with tears. Honestly it had been years since I cried and now I was crying over every little thing. All it took was one tear that fell before the rest followed suit. Aiden, for his part, didn't react much except for pulling me up so that I could breathe as I cried. I felt his arms wrap around me as I curled into his chest. It was at times like this where the height difference between my brothers and I was actually nice because I fit on their laps.

I don't know how long we stayed like that. All I knew was that I woke up hours later when the sun began to rise. I blinked and rubbed my eyes. Aiden and I had fallen asleep on the same bed, his arms still wrapped around me. I shimmied out of his grip, which wasn't all that hard to do since it had slackened from sleep. I moved quickly only putting on a sweatshirt as I quietly closed the door.

"I knew you'd be up."

I whirled around hand to my heart. It wasn't all that often that someone snuck up on me. Dad would've killed me if he saw that because if a human could get the jump on you then anything remotely Supernatural could've used the opportunity to kill me. Luckily it wasn't anyone dangerous it was only Darren.

"Why are you up?" I asked.

"Waiting for you," Darren shrugged. "You didn't come out after Missouri talked to you guys. I wanted to see what was up but Aiden beat me to the punch."

"He didn't actually hit you, did he?" I questioned.

"No?" Darren replied looking really confused.

"Good," I nodded.

"I have one question for you," Darren whispered. His voice turning surprisingly husky. I raised a brow and he continued, "What are we going to do until everyone wakes up?"

I smiled wide at that walking towards him, "I got a few ideas."

"Really?" Darren smirked. "And what might those be?"

I put a splayed hand against Darren's chest pushing him right back into his room and kicking the door behind us. I shoved him on the bed and climbed after him. His hand came out pushing me so that I was laying flat on top of him as I kissed him softly. I felt his fingers curl around my hair, setting it free from the pony tail holder as he kissed me, rolling over so that I was pinned between his body and the bed.

A gasp rushed from me as one of his hands brushed up my side and over one of my breasts. Even through the thick fabric of my sweatshirt I could feel everything. His head dropped down, teeth scraping against the fragile skin of my neck and I bit back another moan. Suddenly, he got up pulling off his shirt and pajama pants. I slipped out of my shorts and sweatshirt, which left me in a pair of boy shirts and one of Dean's old wife beaters.

Darren climbed back over me, his pelvis resting in between my legs as we continued to kiss and explore each other's bodies. I jumped when Darren's hand snuck under my shirt causing a zing of pleasure to race through my body. I looked up at him, rising enough for the shirt to slip off leaving me exposed from the waist up. Darren growled with approval as he once again nipped my neck his arm wrapping around my back and pulling me closer to him.

Within the next few minutes the last few scraps of clothing had been pulled off, thrown to the other side of the room as the passion escalated. Darren grabbed a condom from his duffel bag on the floor, rolling it on. I smirked up at him as he took a moment to look at me, his eyes slowly raking over every part of me. I blushed averting my gaze as he once again climbed on the bed. His hands were rubbing my sides as he kissed me softly.

Nearly an hour later, I lay in Darren's arm, head on his chest as I listened to his heart beating. That was just amazing and I hoped that we were quiet because the last thing I needed was my brothers hearing me have sex. Because they were content to think I was still a virgin and I was perfectly happy letting them believe that.

"Hails?" Darren whispered his voice hoarse from sleep.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"We're together right?" Darren asked.

"Uh, I hope so," I smiled.

"Good," Darren said.

I leaned over him digging in one of his jean's pockets for his cell phone. I pulled it out and saw that it was nearly ten in the morning. I knew that my brothers would still be asleep but not for long and I really didn't want them to see me sneaking out of a guys room. Once again that would be an awkward situation that could be completely avoided. I kissed Darren softly on the lips as I got dressed, pulling my hair into a messy bun as I slowly walked into the hallway and quietly closed the door.

I wandered out into the main hall looking around for any signs of life. Ash had once again fallen asleep on the pool table. But, I wondered whether it was because he had a little too much last night or because he was being a gentleman and giving Missouri his room. The problem was I couldn't really tell, as was normally the case when it came to Ash. It was best not to assume things. I poured myself a cup of coffee as I set myself up near the barstools, doing some little idle research. When someone placed their hand on my shoulder I nearly sprayed coffee everywhere.

"You have a good night?" Jo teased.

"Yeah," I grinned.

"You're lips are swollen," Jo stated.

"I figured," I sighed.

"What are you reading?" Jo asked leaning over my shoulder to glance at the computer monitor, "Hails, you've been looking for loopholes in Dean's deal for months…"

"I'm not giving up on my brother, Jo," I snapped lowly.

"That's not what I'm saying," Jo replied. "I'm just worried about you. You're all so sure that Dean's going to get out of his deal but what if he doesn't."

"Then my family falls apart," I said simply.

"Hailey, come on," Jo frowned.

"No, Jojo," I retorted. "You've seen us. Dean has always been the leader of our family if he's gone, we're done, it's that simple. The one flaw in the way that Dad raised us or at least taught us how to function. We depend too much on each other. If we don't get him out of this…I just don't know."

"Hailey, you and Sam and Aiden are obsessing over this," Jo sighed. "it's not healthy."

"It doesn't matter," I responded. "I owe him everything, Jo and I'm going to help him no matter what."

Jo didn't say much after that instead she chose to stay next to me, just keeping me company as I half researched and half drank my coffee. Even though I didn't want to admit it the possibility that Dean's deal wouldn't be broken grew every single day. Every time we didn't find some sort of loophole or answer our anxiousness for the situation grew just a little bit more.

I remembered that nearly a year ago, we were looking for dad. It felt like an entire lifetime ago and yet it felt like just yesterday. I think it felt that way merely because we were using that same fervor that had when we were looking for Dad, for Dean because we couldn't lose both patriarchs' of our family and especially not Dean. He only had one year and already nearly half of that was gone. As I once again reread _Dr. Faustus_ that I was nineteen years old and that I had been nineteen for a while.

It wasn't that we didn't celebrate birthdays in my family. It was just that we didn't go all our like most people did. Depending on whose birthday it was we got a few gifts, and said birthday person got to chose what they wanted for dinner. Most of the time I went with Boston Market, because that was something we couldn't get all that often. I fought to remember if I had celebrated my birthday and I couldn't for the life of me remember. It had been six months and then I realized. I was so strung out with grieving for Trevor that I had missed my own birthday. My brothers had given me new knives as well as a chicken dinner but other than that we didn't really even mention it.

There was a lot of negative things that went with this life. People close to you die, you live on the fringes of society and there wasn't a lot of contact with other people. My family and the people who had become my family were weird cases we weren't solitary, we went to each other for help. Hell, I don't think there was ever a time where my family really hunted solo, except for my father but he was a different story.

"Hay!" Aiden called his hand waving in front of my face, "Earth to Hailey. Come in, Hailey."

"What do you want?" I grumbled.

"What made you go all space cadet?" Aiden wondered. "I've been calling you for three minutes."

"I was just thinking," I mumbled.

"Well, get the lead out," Aiden said. "We're packing up."

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Bobby's," Aiden answered over his shoulder. "He's trying to rebuild the Colt."

My slammed my computer closed as I hopped of the bar stool. If Bobby could rebuild the Colt that changed everything. The Colt could kill anything including hell hounds or the demon that held Dean's deal in the first place. I rushed through the hallway to my room, my computer under my arm as I stormed into my room throwing my duffel bags on top of my bed as I packed everything of mine in sight.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Darren asked going from leaning against my door to walking inside my room.

"We're leaving," I said. "Bobby Singer called for us."

"Oh," Darren said.

I looked up realizing that there was still a small part of that wanted to stay with Darren and my heart sank just a little before I set myself straight. The only thing that mattered was getting Dean out of this deal. Nothing else did, not Darren and I, as much as I really did like him, not Lucy and Abby, no matter how close we had gotten. My loyalty first and foremost would always be towards my family especially when it was Dean. Dean, who had sacrificed everything for Sam, Aiden, and I. He was the last person who deserved to go to hell and the only reason why he had to because of that deal he made to save Sam's life.

"Hailey?" Darren called.

"I'm sorry," I choked.

"Hails, what is it?" Darren questioned closing the distance between us so that he could hug me.

I was fine. Really, I was until Darren touched me and then I shattered like a baseball hitting a window pane. Darren when from being slightly concerned to being completely worried. In all the years that I had known him I don't think he had once seen me cry, not even when I dislocated my shoulder on a hunt we were on together.

"Dean made a deal," I whimpered, "And there's about five months left on it."

"Oh, Hailey, you have nothing to be sorry for," Darren soothed.

"I want to stay with you but I can't," I sobbed. "But, I need to help Dean. I have to."

"I understand," Darren replied. "It's going to be okay."

I nodded to myself as I felt Darren lift my head up as he wiped my tears away with the pads of his thumbs before kissing me. I melted into his embrace and calmed down considerably. When we pulled away I smiled shakily up at him.

"Hay, let's go!" Aiden called.

"That's my queue," I sighed.

Darren gave me a small smirk before he reached around me grabbing both my duffel bags before kissing me again. I walked by his side saying goodbye to Missouri, Jo, Ellen, Lucy, Abby, and Ash. Darren placed my duffel bags into the trunk of the impala and I gave him one more kiss goodbye. I climbed into the back and together my brothers and I drove towards Sioux Falls.

It was nearly nine at night by the time we got to Bobby's house but all the lights in the house were on. I grabbed my overnight duffel as we walked up Bobby's porch. The door swung open as Bobby ushered us inside. We dropped our duffels in the front entrance as Bobby led us straight back towards the kitchen.

My stomach gurgled coming alive and informing me that the only thing I had all day was coffee, skittles, and pop tarts. Bobby put out five plates of chicken parmesan. We dug in quickly and I could feel Bobby watching us. I looked up and found his eyes on mine. I flushed and dug back into my food as I tried to ignore that Bobby probably knew just how ragged we were pushing ourselves.

After dinner I made my way upstairs collapsing on the bed. I was happy because I once again got the bed all to myself, although, I did share a room with Aiden though. I fell asleep almost the second my head hit the pillow. When I woke up it was late. Later, than I had slept in god knows how long. The smell of strong coffee and pancakes floated up the stairs, through the wide open door. I got up walking towards the stairs, I was just about to hit the first creaky step when I heard Bobby and Dean talking, I stopped instantly listening intently.

"Damn it, Dean," Bobby fumed. "Do you have that low of an opinion of yourself? Are you that screwed in the head?"

"I couldn't let him die, Bobby," Dean whispered. "He's my brother."

"How are your brothers and sister going to feel if they can't save you?" Bobby growled.

"They'll be fine," Dean said.

"Really?" Bobby demanded. "Have you not seen them? I swear every damn time I see your sister, she's lost weight. None of them look like they've been sleeping and you're still here."

"They'll be fine," Dean stated firmly.

"Boy, you think whatever you need to," Bobby huffed. "But, if you go down the pit the last thing they'll be is fine."

I began to head down stairs after I made sure that the conversation had over. I didn't know whether or not I could really appreciate Bobby talking to Dean about that because the last thing he needed right now was to be worried about us. He should start worrying about himself. But, Bobby was as much apart of the family as Ellen or anyone else and he'd miss Dean just as much as all of us. It was also a little late for guilt and it's not like it would do much guilt. We needed Sam too. In order for the Winchester family to function all Winchester offspring had to be accounted for in some form or another.

"Well, look who decided to wake up," Bobby teased.

"Uh," I grunted dropped into the chair across from Dean.

Bobby slid a plate loaded with pancakes at me as well as a cup of coffee. I always had liked that man. I dug in hungrily only coming up for air when Bobby cleared his throat.

"Hails, I have a surprise in the barn that I'm willing to bet you're going to love," Bobby smiled.

I tilted my head questioningly before finishing the last bite of pancakes before making a beeline towards the backdoor.

"I know you're not about to go into the yard without shoes on," Dean growled.

I huffed and rolled my eyes slipping into the pair of shoes that I had left here a few months ago. I had only left them because they were so wrecked that Bobby made Dean go into town with me so that I could get a new pair. But, you didn't just give up on Converses. It also was a precaution rule to always wear shoes outside mostly because most of the cars out there were rust buckets so it was a breeding ground for Tetanus.

After I slid on my shoes I ran out towards the barn. I found Aiden and Sam in there each sitting cross legged smiling. I hadn't seen them smile so genuinely in months. So, I rushed over as Sam looked up.

"Rumsfeld got someone's dog pregnant," Sam said. "The owner left he litter and the dog on Bobby's doorstep saying the Devils were his problem now."

I shook my head as one of the puppies galloped over wagging his tail at me happily. When I sat down he eagerly sat in my lap and licked my hand. How anyone could just give up dogs was beyond me. Especially these cute German Sheppard mixes. They weren't quite as fierce looking as purebred German Sheppard's but they had the same coloring.

"Bobby told Dean that one's for you," Aiden said. "Because he didn't get you something for your birthday."

"I want this one," I whispered.

"What are you going to name him?" Dean asked.

I glanced over and saw Dean and Bobby coming into the barn.

"Harley," I said.

"Harley it is," Bobby nodded.

"Hey, Bobby, you said something about the Colt?" Sam questioned.

"Dean and I have been looking into it," Bobby sighed. "Why don't you guys scour newspapers and see if anything weird's been happening."

"The demons have been sorta quiet," I winced.

"Maybe they gave up?" Aiden suggested.

"Not likely, son," Bobby sighed.

I grimaced looking down at the innocent little puppy in my lap. I longed for the days when I was that ignorant and just happy. Before all this gloom and doom became the very staple of my life and that of my family's. But we'd come out on top, we had to.


	32. Only By The Night

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Only By The Night**

"_They knew a little about a lot of things, just enough to make them dangerous."_

"This is one of the worst ideas I have ever heard of!" Lucy snapped.

"Way to be supportive, Luce," I frowned at my cell phone.

"Oh, don't put that on me, Hailey Winchester," Lucy grumbled. "You're going to summon some demon because she told you that she could help with your brothers deal? What makes you think that some demon knows about Dean's deal more than you? Has found something you haven't?"

"We're running out of options, Lucy," I retorted sharply. "We have four months to go."

"Bobby hasn't figured out the Colt yet?" Lucy questioned. "I thought he had it."

"He didn't," I said, "This is getting impossible."

"I'm sorry, Hails," Lucy replied. "But, I don't think trusting a demon now is really the best idea."

"Yeah, I know," I mumbled.

"Just think about it, Hails, okay?" Lucy pleaded. "There's gotta be another way."

"I don't think so," I sighed. "And I have thought about it. Nothing bad will happen."

"Just be careful," Lucy responded.

"You too," I said.

I disconnected the line and glanced toward Bobby's barn. It would be the perfect place for the summoning ritual I was going to perform. I glanced into the kitchen, looking through it and into the study where my brothers and Bobby were steadily working either researching or trying to figure out the Colt. Like they didn't already know the damn thing backwards and forwards, it wasn't going to work but the way they were focusing on it was getting ridiculous.

There were some positives of all that focus. For one they were so focused on that damn gun that they missed the fact that I smuggled out some books from Bobby's library. I snuck into the barn after lunch knowing that there would be couple of hours at least until dinner allowing me to do what I needed. I traced the necessary sigil on the ground in chalk before lighting a candle at all five points of the design before I began to chant in Latin and lit the match. When I finished saying the end of the incantation I dropped the match in the concoction jumping back as it flared up. The creaking of the barn, which was creepy on its best day, seemed all the creepier now.

"There's something called a phone," Ruby called leaning against a pillar of the since abandoned horse stalls.

"Who holds my brothers contract?" I demanded.

"Straight to the point," Ruby smirked, "I like that. But, if that's all you wanted to know, you wasted your time. I don't know."

"You're lying," I snarled.

"And?" Ruby sneered

"You said all I needed to do was trust you," I retorted. "And you'd help me save my brother. Tell me who holds the contract."

"Or what?" Ruby said.

The entire time I had been walking towards Ruby backing her up until she was exactly where I wanted her, in a Devil's trap. She was completely stuck and she didn't even know it.

"Or, I'll exorcise you," I smirked.

Ruby tried to move then and when she couldn't she looked up, "Hailey."

"Got ya," I grinned. "Now, I have to say that I don't trust you at all. Not even a little and here's my deal. You tell me who hold Dean's contract and I won't send you straight to hell."

Ruby glowered at me for a few minutes before answering, "You're not ready to go after a demon like that."

"I don't care," I spat.

"You and your brothers run in there half cocked and she will peal the flesh from your faces," Ruby said.

"I don't care," I growled.

"If you die the world goes to hell," Ruby stated. "Or are you that selfish?"

"Shut the fuck up," I hissed.

"What's wrong, Hailey? Ruby taunted. "Afraid of the truth."

"Listen to me you fucking hell bitch," I snarled. "My brother's set to go to hell in four month and I don't care who or what I have to kill to make sure that doesn't happen. Now are you going to be helpful or do you wanna go back to hell?"

Ruby looked at me an eyebrow raised as her arms were crossed over her chest. I shook my head before looking her directly in the eye and tossing a mixture of Holy Water and salt in her face. She recoiled growling and writhing as she tried to get it off.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas," I began.

"Wait!" Ruby cried.

"Omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio, et secta diabolica. Perditionis venenum propinare. Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciae, hostis humanae salutis. Humiliare sub potenti manu dei, contremisce et effuge, invocato a nobis sancto et terribili nomine, quem inferi tremunt," I continued unfazed as I watched Ruby crumble to her knees in pain as her body twitched and shook.

"Lilith!" Ruby sobbed finally, her teeth were gnashed together and her eyes were watering.

"What?" I asked.

"The demon's name is Lilith," Ruby groaned.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" I demanded.

"I _am_!" Ruby pleaded before I could continue the exorcism rite.

"You better be," I threatened pitching my voice to be as menacing as possible.

"You shouldn't go after her," Ruby said after a few minutes.

"Why not?" I asked.

"She wants Sam dead," Ruby panted. "Sees him as competition."

"What the fuck is going on?"

I jumped turning on my heel and groaning.

"Hi, Aiden," I sighed.

"What the fuck is going on?" Aiden repeated glaring at me. Both his tone and look would usually be enough to have me spill what was going on but I wasn't sure that it was a very good idea. _"Hailey."_

"Interrogating a demon," I muttered.

"Excuse me?" Aiden demanded. "You're doing what?'

"Questioning her, Aiden," I retorted. "Trying to figure out what holds Dean's contract and I did."

"How did it get here?" Aiden asked.

"Summoned her," I responded.

"You summoned a demon on Bobby's property?" Aiden hissed.

"What else can we do, Aiden?" I snapped. "You figure out how to break Dean's deal? Because I haven't and this was my idea."

"An idea that you didn't run by any of us?" Aiden growled.

"You were busy," I shrugged.

"Nice cop out, Hails," Aiden snorted.

"What else am I supposed to do?" I stated.

"You're going to trust a demon?" Aiden scoffed. "Hailey, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" I repeated. "What's wrong with you? We have four months and you're all gathering around that damn gun like it's the second coming!"

"He wouldn't agree with this," Aiden said.

"You're going to tell him?" I questioned.

"I have no choice," Aiden answered. "How else are we going to explain how we suddenly know who holds the contract? Do you have any idea how dangerous this all was?"

"I don't care!" I groaned. "Aiden, we have the information and it wasn't any more dangerous that summoning the crossroads demon."

"You were thinking about summoning the crossroads demon?" Aiden fumed/

I shrugged and looked at the ground, wincing when I heard the sudden clomp of footsteps on the edge of the barn. The door creaked open announcing someone's presence. So much for a plan that I could do what I needed to without being disturbed.

"What's going on?" Sam asked. He was glaring at Aiden and I and then he saw Ruby, "What are you doing here?"

"Ask her," Ruby growled at the same time Aiden hissed, "You know her?"

"Hailey?" Sam asked ignoring Aiden's question.

"You know why," I stated.

"Oh, that's nice," Aiden snarked. "Anyone wanna clue me in?"

"You know this little family squabble is entertaining, don't get me wrong," Ruby grumbled. "But can I go now?"

"You summoned Ruby?" Sam questioned.

"Obviously," I rolled my eyes gesturing towards Ruby.

"You're on first name basis with some hell bitch?" Aiden demanded.

"Nice," Ruby complained.

"You're overreacting, Aiden," I sighed.

Without loosing eye contact I snapped the beams thereby breaking the Devil's trap. Ruby vanished on the spot leaving me with two highly irritated and incredibly irritating brothers. I frowned as I glanced between Aiden and Sam, both of whom were angry for different reasons.

"What the hell is going on?" Aiden snapped.

"I got the name of who holds Dean's contract," I announced.

"Through a demon," Sam grumbled.

Like that demon wasn't stringing you along in Cicero!" I retorted. "Don't patronize me

"I didn't just summon her on a whim!" Sam growled.

"I didn't summon her on a whim, Sam," I hissed. "I'm not some damn amateur."

"Does someone wanna clarify exactly how you know her?" Aiden suggested.

"She saved our asses back in Lincoln," I said.

"That masked chick?" Aiden replied. "She's a demon."

"Yeah," Sam answered.

"But you mentioned Cicero?" Aiden questioned.

"She met us at the local diner," I shrugged.

"Oh and you didn't feel like telling us?" Aiden hissed.

"Didn't feel like telling us what?" Dean asked coolly.

We all spun in turn seeing that Dean was entering the barn, his eyes roaming everywhere There were a few things that I rather him not find and of course, he found the sigil, the Devil's trap, and all three of us looking highly suspicious. With each one Dean's eyes grew flintier and flintier until he looked like he was going to kill us. That was really a possibility because the only thing Dean approved of us doing concerning his deal was the Colt but I wasn't going to sit idly by and watch my big brother go to hell.

"I'm hurt," Dean growled, his voice a raspy growl and his eyes glinting dangerously, "you guys decided to have a party and you didn't invite me?"

"Dean," Sam started.

What are you guys doing in here?" Dean asked.

Aiden, Sam, and I exchanged a few glances before Sam answered, "Nothing."

"Uh, yeah, right," Dean rolled his eyes, "because you all went to the barn at staggered times for no apparent reason."

I bit back a curse, forgetting one crucial thing which, was even when it looked like my brothers looked like they completely distracted they normally weren't. Dean looked at each of us in turn before his eyes settled on mine.

"Aiden, Sam, leave," Dean ordered sharply.

Sam and Aiden didn't say a word to contradict the order as they moved quickly out of the barn leaving Dean and I alone. He looked up at the broken Devil's trap on the ceiling as well as the sigil. I couldn't help but take an uneasy step backwards as Dean's look became all the more furious.

"Dean, you have to understand," I whispered.

"Understand what?" Dean growled, lowly. "That you've been sneaking around for days, snagging books out of Bobby's library. Books that have the same theme: summoning rituals. Exactly what have you been up to?"

"I've been trying to find a way to get you out of your deal," I shrugged.

"The Colt?" Dean retorted.

"And what you're going to shoot every demon?" I frowned. "I found the demon that holds your contract."

"I don't care what you found," Dean snapped. "What did you summon?"

"An acquaintance," I replied.

"Hailey," Dean warned.

"It isn't what you're thinking, Dean," I sighed.

"I think that if don't start answering my questions, you and I are going to be having some problems, Hailey," Dean barked. "Who or should I say what did you summon here?"

"A demon," I mumbled.

I winced, god that sounded horrible. Hi, I'm Hailey Winchester, I hunt evil and yet I just summoned a demon for help. Maybe Sam, Aiden, and Lucy were right, I shouldn't have summoned Ruby and I was foolish for thinking that things would be okay or would even work out. I had broken the one major rule of hunting, you don't befriend demons and you certainly don't listen to them even when one looked to be on our side for once. The truth was with everyday that passed now I was getting more desperate. And the more desperate I got the sloppier I became.

"Excuse me?" Dean's eyebrow shot up in surprise before slamming back down to create what one could only describe as a mask of cold fury.

"She said she knew how to save you," I sighed.

"And you believed her?" Dean snapped. "Hailey, you have to know she's lying. She knows what your weakness are."

"It doesn't matter!" I groaned.

"What?" Dean growled.

"You don't wanna go to hell and we're not going to let you so if I find the name of the demon holding the contract then that's one more step to our mutual goal."

"What you did was reckless," Dean grumbled.

"It was better than summoning the crossroads demon," I shrugged.

"Hails," Dean growled, lowly.

"You'd be doing the same thing for me if things were reversed," I stated. "In fact, you'd be doing a hell of a lot more than just focusing on some gun."

"You get one of these ideas again, you tell us, don't sneak around," Dean ordered.

"Yes, sir," I nodded.

"Come on," Dean sighed. "Bobby has dinner going."

Dean and I walked back into the house where Bobby was standing, waiting for water to boil. Bobby glanced up at me as I walked back giving me a stern disapproving look. I hung my head as I walked back into the den. I slumped onto the couch as Aiden handed me my computer and I began to scour the online newspapers. I had been doing that for a few minutes when my phone began to ring, in and of itself the event wouldn't be too out of the ordinary but when my brothers cell phone preceded to go off right after mine, that was a little suspicious.

"Winchester," I answered.

"Hailey, we need help," Jo said cutting to the chase.

"What is it?" I asked. "What's wrong?"

"I was on a hunt with Abby and Lucy," Jo explained. "And the thing took Lucy."

"Jo, what were you hunting?" I questioned.

"Wendigo," Jo sighed.

"You took two newbie's out to hunt a Wendigo?" I hissed.

"We thought there was only one," Jo said, "But, Hails, there's three of them."

"Three?" I gasped. "Jo, where are you?"

"Rhinelander, Wisconsin," Jo replied.

"We'll be there as soon as possible," I stated.

The line disconnected and I looked up at my brothers who had disconnected their own line.

"Where is she, Hailey?" Sam asked.

"Rhinelander, Wisconsin, up by the mountains," I replied.

"Hey, Bobby, we have to go!" Dean shouted.

"You're not leaving on empty stomachs," Bobby said sternly.

"Bobby, Lucy's missing," I protested. "We have to go."

"It's going to take about a day to get there you can leave after you all had some dinner," Bobby ordered.

"Okay, everyone back up and then meet down here for dinner in five," Dean said.

We all dispersed walking upstairs and packing as quickly as we all could. Luckily being a Winchester taught you how to back in under three minutes, packing only the essentials, especially when we were pressed for time, like if law had tracked us down.

I galloped back downstairs with my two duffels bag in tow. I dropped them near the foyer as Aiden came down next and then Sam and Dean. Bobby had five big bowls of beef stew. I sat down in my place and waited for Aiden, Sam, Dean, and Bobby to sit down. We ate quickly enjoying our company with Bobby; making idle small talk that for once didn't mention any demons, Dean's deal or the colt.

When it was time to go I hugged Bobby and waited while all my brothers said goodbye. We agreed that we'd head back there after we helped the out Jo, Lucy, and Abby. We loaded up the car and moved out heading towards Wisconsin as fast as we could. As the miles blurred together, I fell asleep.

_You know the feeling of going into the pool with your clothes on? The way they just stuck to your skin, it was the same sensation except it wasn't water. It was blood and a lot of it pooling from a cut running down the length of my leg and it hurt so much. Only I didn't know what hurt more the jagged scratch on my leg or the fact that my arms were holding my weight tied together above my head._

_Everything came back slowly, first was the pain, then there was the fact that I couldn't see and then it was the low rasping growl that sent shivers up my spine. As the Wendigo crept closer I fought to move out of my bonds but nothing gave. _

_The reflection, I saw in the Wendigoes gaze wasn't mine. It was Lucy and I watched horrified as Lucy began to scream and cry._

"Hailey!" Aiden shouted shaking. "Come on, Hay, wake up!"

"Aiden you yelling at her isn't going to help," Sam protested.

"Hay, you're okay," Aiden soothed.

"No," I whispered. "Please, Dean, drive faster."

"We're ten minutes away," Dean replied. "Jo texted us the name of their motel."

I nodded to myself, pulling my knees up to my chest. I caught the concerned glances that Aiden and the others threw my way or towards each other and fought to ignore them. I knew sooner or later that I'd have to tell them everything we knew about the Trinity because it was important but not at this present moment it wasn't. How was I supposed to explain to them that Lucy had must likely tapped into our connection making me see what she was going through. I wondered if she could feel Abby and I there: if it brought comfort to her at all.

We were barely in the parking lot of The Black Raven Motel when Abby and Jo raced out of the motel room. In all my months of knowing Abby, I had never seen her looking so frantic.

"Did you see?" Abby demanded.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"See what?" Dean asked curiously.

"We saw her," I said. "The Wendigo has Lucy and she's terrified."

"The sun's coming up in about an hour," Dean stated pitching his voice so that everyone could hear him. "I saw we head over to the mountain range and start looking. Sam and I will take one direction, Aiden and Jo will take another, and that leaves Abby and Hailey with the other direction. I'm willing to bet it will be you two that finds her since you're all attuned to each other now or something."

Abby and I exchanged startled glances. How did he know that? Dean shot me a smirk as he gestured for us to get in the cars. The impala led the way to the mountain range, which was about ten minutes away from the hotel. We all were armed to the teeth with home made firebombs; except for Abby she really didn't need one.

We all walked into the mountain range following each other until Dean gestured which way we should all go. I fought down some nervous energy, remembering how much I really hated Wendigoes. They were once human but when they ate human flesh it changed them. They were immortal but they needed more flesh to survive. They changed during times of famine or when it was really cold and they ran out of food like the Donner Party for instance. A Wendigo had very sharp teeth and nails; one swipe of their claws could decapitate a person. They were fast too, faster that anything or anyone. They were the best hunters I had ever seen but they were evil and the only way to kill them was fire.

"Do you sense anything?" Abby whispered after searching quietly for nearly an hour.

"No," I sighed and then I heard something. "Wait."

"What is it?" Abby hissed.

"There's something following us," I groaned.

"What do we do?" Abby asked.

I shrugged not really knowing what we could do. When we heard the growling get closer, I shouted run and we turned tail and ran in the opposite direction of the noise. I pushed Abby before me knowing that the was nothing I could do to stop the Wendigo from capturing us. When a fireball flew by my head I realized that I was wrong. Abby was an elemental and I had telekinesis. When I saw that the Wendigo was leading us straight to another one I skidded to a halt, grabbing Abby's arm. She focused on the one in front of us as I faced off against the one who had been chasing us. I pushed it backwards but it moved faster than I anticipated, lunging forward and catching me in the side with its razor sharp claws. Blood immediately gushed from the wound as the Wendigo smirked at me with blood-flecked lips. I heard the whoosh of a flame and ducked seconds before it would've incinerated me catching the Wendigo in the stomach. The other one was already ash.

"Oh, my god, Hails," Abby, hissed. She pulled off her sweatshirt and shook it at me. I grabbed it from her wincing as I put pressure on the wound. It was pretty deep if the way I was bleeding was anything to go by.

"I'm fine," I sighed.

"Bullshit," Abby snapped.

"We have to find Lucy," I retorted, "and until we do I'm fine."

"You're too fucking stubborn Winchester," Abby shook her head as she put one of my arms over her shoulder and together we began to move.

"Help me!" We heard the shout and ran quickly in the direction of it Wendigoes knew how to survive. They especially knew how to survive during the winter. The only reason why someone would be alive was because the Wendigo was saving them for later, snacking on them whenever they wanted too.

We ran until there we saw an opening in the mountain. It was the perfect dwelling for a Wendigo and it was exactly where the screams were coming from. Already at the mouth of the cave were Aiden, Jo, Sam, and Dean.

"Hay!" Aiden shouted.

Sam and Dean swiveled around taking in my most likely paler than normal complexion and the blood soaked sweatshirt that was clutched to my side. Dean shoved Sam and Aiden towards the mouth of the cave to get to Lucy while he came to my side.

"Hails?" Dean whispered, "you okay?"

"Wendigo got the drop on me," I frowned. "I'm fine."

"She lost a lot of blood," Abby corrected.

"Traitor," I snapped.

"Grow up, Hailey," Abby stated.

"Oh, my god, Lucy," I hissed.

Dean and Abby turned and looked as Aiden carried Lucy bridal style out of the cave. She looked mostly unscathed except for her leg. But she was alert and looking at all of us as Aiden brought her down to the landing the rest of us were on.

"Hey, Lucy," Abby grinned.

"Hey," Lucy smiled. "You get those bastards?"

"Yup," I smirked. "They never stood a chance."

"Looks like one got you good," Lucy noted.

"I could say the same about you," I retorted lightly.

"Can we save this reunion for later?" Sam asked. "You two need a hospital."

"Lucy can go to a hospital," I replied. "I'm not."

"Hailey," Dean warned.

"I've had a lot worse and you know that, Dean," I responded. "So no."

"Fine," Dean said.

"What?" Aiden demanded. "She's lost a lot of blood. They both have."

"We're still conscious," I retorted.

"If we're going to do this can we do this?" Sam sighed.

"Sam's right," Dean said. "What do you wanna do, Luce?"

"Hospital," Lucy replied.

"We'll bring her there," Jo said. "You guys worry about Hailey."

Abby gently moved out from under me as Dean held me up being careful to avoid my injured side. Although the move was hardly jarring I still let out a gasp as fire raced up and down my side. I hate Wendigoes. Aiden and Dean carried Lucy and I through the forest walking quickly until we got to where we had all parked. I was laid gently in the backseat of the impala with the strict order not to get blood on the upholstery while Dean and Aiden helped Lucy get into Jo's car.

A few minutes later the cars split up, we going back towards the hotel while Jo floored it towards town. Most people would probably choose to go to the hospital with wounds this bad. But, I trusted my brothers with my life and if there was anyone I'd be willing to patch me up it was them. Besides these cuts needed not only rubbing alcohol but also Holy Water because something evil had scratched me. The fun times of being a Supernatural hunter. When we got the motel Aiden helped me out carrying me through the door and placing me gently on the bed.

I was still conscious but it was more out of sheer will power than anything else. The one thing that I was happy about was the fact that the Wendigo had swung his claws low enough so that I would still be able to wear my bra and panties because wearing anything less around my brothers was just awkward. Aiden helped me up once again as Dean cut me out of my shirt, the Wendigo had destroyed it so it really wasn't a loss while Sam helped me out of my jeans.

I was laid carefully down on my side on the bed as Aiden got up behind me ready to hold me down because if you think rubbing alcohol stings, Holy Water is ten times worse especially after you've been hurt by something evil, which was the only reason why they were necessary in the first place. Aiden used the shirt that Dean had ripped off to place it near my mouth. I bit down on it and squeezed Aiden's wrists as Dean and Sam worked carefully and quickly to clean out the scratches, there were only two of them. It could've been much worse.

"I'm sorry, Hails," Dean whispered. "You've lost too much blood for us to give you pain pills just yet."

I nodded carefully and steeled myself for the first stitch. After the one more followed as I fought to stay still. Honestly it was hard and it hurt, a lot. Tears streamed out of my eyes and into my hair as I struggled not to thrash.

_And then just like that I wasn't in that motel room but somewhere else ten years ago. It was so weird when I was eight I knew that we weren't a normal family. I mean honestly, we had a new home every few weeks and it was considered a luxury if we got an apartment. I had been to countless schools already and I knew that at the rate this was going I would still be going to even more schools before I eventually graduated or got my GED, which was the route that both Dean and I decided to take. Hell, I think the only reason that Dad kept enrolling Dean in school was so he could watch out for Sam since Aiden was watching out for me. _

_What really tipped me off about not being a normal family was the fact that Dad was normally ever here and sometimes he and Dean went places leaving Sammy or a handful of other Aunts of Uncles in charge. We were currently staying in an apartment in West Branch, Michigan and this was one of those times where Dad and Dean were gone and had been gone for days._

_It was around one in the morning, way past my bedtime that was normally strictly enforced if Dean was home but Sam was studying too much to pay attention especially if I kept quiet. I had crept into the kitchen for a glass of milk when the front door slammed open. I was so startled I nearly dropped my milk but set it back on the counter as I closed the refrigerator door._

"_You're late," Sam accused._

"_Not now, Sam, can't you see you're brother is hurt?" Dad retorted sharply_

_Dean was hurt? Why was he hurt? Personally I thought that was a great question but it wasn't really one I could ask, especially now that both Dad and Dean were home and I was really supposed to be in bed._

"_What happened?" Sam demanded._

"_Wendigo," Dad said shortly helping Dean over to the couch we had rented. I was watching through the door in the kitchen._

"_Jesus Christ, Dad," Sam growled. "Why isn't he in a hospital?"_

"_There are claw marks running the length of your brother's spine, Sam…"_

"_Exactly!" Sam retorted. "Do you know how much blood he probably lost?"_

"_Sammy, that's enough," Dad snapped. "I can handle it."_

"_Would you two cut it out?" Dean growled._

_As the lights turned on I screamed despite myself, completely forgetting that I was supposed to be hiding. Dad and Sam swiveled around both looking at me dumbstruck but I was staring at Dean's back. His shirt was ribbons and covered in blood, his blood. He barely reacted with the scream either. _

"_Hailey Jade Winchester," Dad scolded, his voice was cold as ice and it would normally scare me into obedience but not this time._

"_Is Dean dead?" I whimpered, my eyes filling with tears._

"_No, baby," Dad sighed._

_Dad closed the distance between us in two large strides stooping down to my level. _

"_Dean just had an accident, honey," Dad whispered. "But, he's going to be good as new…."_

"_Bullshit," Sam snarled._

"_Samuel," Dad barked. "Take your sister and get out of here. Both of you get to bed. And, you better believe that you and I will be having a conversation about that attitude, boy."_

"_Yes sir." Sam sighed sounding a little more mollified than he had a few minutes ago._

_That was one of the first instances when I realized that my family wasn't only not normal but that my Dad wasn't some salesman that had to go away a lot. Nope, I wasn't believing that anymore. The claw marks that were deep and jagged in Dean's back stayed in my memory for a very long time and so did what Dad had held responsible for it…a Wendigo. It was another year and a half before Dad finally broke the news to me. That he was a hunter and he was going after the thing that killed Mom and that he made sure that what happened to us never happened to other people. _

_My father was a hero but that did little to soften the blow that was his absenteeism due to what he chose to do. The bad thing was that Dad had thought he had broken the news to me about hunting but the truth was that I had found out by myself a few weeks after that incident, breaking into Dad's room and reading his journal as he slept. I had snuck out way before Dad woke up and had confronted Aiden who swore me to secrecy as he told me everything he knew._

_Dean wasn't the same after that night either. Granted, it took at least a month for his back to heal but after that night he became more determined. When I realized the truth about what happened to Mom, I knew his loyalty to the crusade was what kept him by Dad's side, watching out and being a father to us, but that Wendigo attack gave him his determination._

"Hails, we're all done, baby," Dean whispered jogging me out of my memories. "I know you're sleepy but just stand up for one second so we can wrap your rips so you don't tear your stitches."

I stood up on shaky legs as Aiden stood behind me, ready to catch me incase my legs gave out. Dean moved quickly wrapping my side in a giant ace bandage. It was a little on the snug side but I was too tired to complain. They helped me into a baggy shirt that had most likely been one of theirs before helping me back into bed. I felt Dean sit down on the other side of the bed humming under his breath as I fell into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning the first thing I did was pop a couple of vicodin as my side protested the movement. My muscles were stiff from not moving and I was tired as hell despite sleeping the better part of a day and a half. I was up before my brothers, which was part of the reason why I was able to walk around without an escort. I moved into the shower and showered quickly pulling my hair up into a ponytail as I slipped into one of my looser pairs of jeans and a sweatshirt.

"You're supposed to be taking it easy," Jo scolded.

"I'm fine, Jojo," I responded.

"Darren wanted you to call him," Jo shrugged dropping the conversation. "Boy's been calling every couple of hours."

"You told him?" I demanded.

"No, Abby did," Jo corrected.

I rolled my eyes as I snagged my phone from the nightstand walking stiffly outside into the cool morning. I hit the most recent calls, unsurprised when Darren's name was at the top of the calling list.

"Hails?" Darren demanded answering on the first ring.

"I'm fine, Dare," I soothed.

"Yeah," Darren scoffed. "That's not what Abby said."

"Abby's new to all of this," I replied. "I'm fine. I've had worse. I'm just a little sore is all. Lucy was worse off than me."

"Don't scare me like that," Darren grumbled.

"I'm sorry," I sighed.

"It's okay," Darren said. "When do you think we can see each other?"

"I don't know, Darren," I frowned. "We're getting down to the wire on Dean's deal there's a little more than three months on it."

"I know, baby," Darren whispered. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I responded. "Look, I'll call you later. Okay?"

"Okay, I'm heading towards Chicago to deal with a poltergeist call me later tonight," Darren suggested.

"Okay," I replied.

We disconnected the line as I went back inside the motel room where people were starting to wake up. Dean was the first awake other than Jo and I. He then woke everyone else up saying that it was time to check out and that we, meaning my brothers and I were going to stop in to see Lucy before we headed back towards Bobby who had apparently called the other day saying that he got the gun to work.

Dean once again led the charge towards the hospital and we all shuffled into the waiting room. My brothers and Jo sat down, letting Abby and I visit with Lucy first. We walked in and she was wide-awake. Her hair was put in a neat bun on the nape of her neck as she watched the news. When she saw us her smile brightened and it was almost possible to forget that we were in the hospital.

"Hey, Luce," I smiled.

"How are you?" Abby asked.

"I'm fine," Lucy grinned. "Honestly I just want to get out of here."

"You okay?" I asked noticing that Lucy's smiled faltered for a fraction of a second.

"Yeah of course," Lucy shrugged.

"Don't bullshit us, Luce," Abby scolded. "We know you better than that."

"I don't like hospitals," Lucy whispered. "A lot of good people have died here."

"Oh, Lucy," I gasped.

"Guys, I…I don't want to go to hospitals anymore," Lucy hung her head.

"We're not going to force you too," Abby soothed. "Unless it's something we can't handle by ourselves."

"Okay," Lucy nodded.

"What else is there?" I asked.

"That Wendigo could've killed me," Lucy whimpered. "I could've screwed the entire world just because of some beginners mistake."

"Lucy," I sighed. "It's okay."

"No," Lucy retorted sharply. "It's not. We all have to be more careful."

"We will," Abby and I chorused.

"Come on, Lucy," I grinned. "You're still learning but you're a natural. Don't worry about it."

"Hiya Luce," Dean greeted. "You feeling okay?"

"Never better, Dean," Lucy smirked.

"That's what I like to hear," Dean nodded. "I'm sorry to cut this short ladies. But we're due back at Bobby's by nightfall."

"Call us?" Abby and Lucy asked at the same time.

"Of course," I answered.

"Dean?" Abby called.

"Yeah?" Dean questioned.

"I know that everything's coming to a head soon and you don't know us very well but we want to help you out," Abby said.

"We'll call you," Dean replied.

I watched my brother carefully noticing that while he was smiling it didn't quite reach his eyes. What exactly was Dean planning? If he didn't want Lucy and Abby that was one thing. They were still relatively new to all of this. To new to be going up against a demon like Lilith but I wondered vaguely if he was going to try to bench us all. Looks like I needed to talk to Aiden and Sam. Because I'd be damned if Dean tried to fix this whole mess by himself.


	33. No Rest For the Wicked

_**Author's Note: Hello all. Well, here it is the chapter I've been dreading, and thinking about since I decided to revisit this particular verse in the first place. Well, I have come to my decision and I think it's the right one. This story has hit 423 pages on word and this chapter comes in at twenty four pages, the longest chapter I've ever written for any story. Anyway, happy reading! ~Beccatdemon13**_

**Chapter Thirty-Three: No Rest for the Wicked**

"_It is almost as if you were frantically constructing another world while the world that you live in dissolves beneath your feet, and that your survival depends on completing this construction at least one second before the old habitation collapses."_

It was very easy to lose a lot of sleep as a hunter. Most people went nocturnal or a state pretty close to it. After all most things that were paranormal lived and breathed in the dark: literally. But, this was yet another example of why my family was different. First of all, we worked with other hunters and we worked best with one another. The example of which I was referring to currently was the fact that we actually slept. Sure sometimes it was only an hour, or we caught up on sleep in between jobs or at least that was what we use to do. Ever since the Wendigo attacks we went on one simple salt and burn before bunkering down and searching for Lilith and doing all we could to find out everything we knew about her.

With only thirty hours to go we were all getting anxious, researching hadn't turned up anything decent so far and now Dean was sleeping, or at least he had fallen asleep on a book that explained hell hounds. I looked up from my own perch on the widow sill before going back to work. Lilith was one tough bitch to track down and I was starting to realize that Ruby might've been speaking the truth. Lilith had been in hell for a very long time if she was suddenly out that wasn't good. What made it worse was the fact that she was the first demon that Lucifer made, who knew what crazy tricks she had up her sleeve. Not that it mattered she had a target n her head since the moment Dean had made his deal.

A sudden sharp intake of breath had me looking back towards where Dean had been sleeping. He was now looking around the room, his breathing still heavy as he blinked a few times. He looks down at the book he had been reading before slamming it shut and shaking his head.

"Dig up anything good?" Sam asked coming out of the kitchen.

Dean shook his head, not looking up before he answered, "No. Nothing good."

"Well, Bobby has," Sam announced his eyes shifting from Dean's to mine and then to Aiden's. "Finally."

"Yeah?" Dean replied.

"Yup," Sam answered. "A way to find Lilith."

"Oh, with just uh-thirty hours to go," Dean grimaced looking at his watch. "Hey, why don't we just make a TJ-run, yeah? You know some senoritas, cervezas, uh…we could…What's Spanish for 'donkey show'?"

"So if we do save you," Sam snickered. "Let's never do that."

"Yeah," Dean frowned.

I watched as Sam sat down next to him and glanced at the book that Dean had been reading in distaste.

"Hey, Dean," Sam sighed. "Look, we're cutting it close. I know. But we're gonna get this done. I don't care what it takes. You're not going to go to hell. I'm not gonna let you. I swear, everything's gonna be okay."

"What Sammy means to say," Aiden huffed. "is that we got your back, big brother. And no demon bitch is getting their hands on you or your soul."

I watched Dean carefully, sliding off the widow sill. He went from taking in Aiden and Sam's word to looking terrified recoiling from Sam for a fraction of a second. No one else caught the slip as Dean gathered his wits and managed to cough out, "Yeah, okay."

We all got up with Dean leading the way over to Bobby's not often used dining room, spread out on the table was a map of the United States. Bobby lifted a weird tracking device I had never seen before over the map. The device had three wooden legs coming out of a crystal pall that was ringed with a metal piece that had Latin running over it. Further down the leg is another metal piece only bigger and then there was a ball that made a pendulum with a sharp point on the end to pinpoint an area on the map. We all gathered around the table. I took a space in between Bobby and Sam as Dean stood directly across from Bobby with Aiden and Sam on either side.

"So you need a name, that's the whole kit and caboodle. With the right name, right ritual, there ain't nothing you can't suss out," Bobby explained to us.

"Like the town Lilith is in?" Sam asked.

"Kid, when I get done, we'll know the street," Bobby smirked.

I really liked the sound of that. Bobby spun the pendulum and it began to sway as Bobby began the ritual rattling out Latin until the pendulum just stopped pointing out what I assumed to be Lilith's location.

"New Harmony, Indiana," Bobby mused. "We have a winner."

"Alright," Sam said, knocking the pendulum out of the way as he looked to Bobby, "let's go."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Dean scolded. "Let's just hold up there, Tex."

"Dean, come on, we've been looking for this information for weeks," I protested.

"What's the problem?" Sam asked.

"What's the problem?" Dean repeated. "Come on, where do I begin. I mean first of all we don't even know if Lilith holds my deal. We're going off of Ruby's intel? Now when that bitch breathes the air comes out crooked. Okay. Second, even if we could get Lilith we have no way to gank her. Third, isn't this the same Lilith that wants your giant head on a pike, should I continue?"

I frowned my eyebrows furrowing as I took in what Dean was saying. Of course he was right but that didn't make us feel any better. No, at the present moment it was more annoying than anything else. Of course Ruby had to be right that Lilith saw Sam as competition, sending out assassins of all things that we had quickly exorcised. Granted we had no idea they were coming until Natasha had given us the heads up. Sometimes having a clairvoyant as a best friend was extremely handy. And I knew that he wasn't all that keen on taking Ruby at her word, she was a demon, based on the very job description they lie but couldn't be lying about this. Which brought about Dean's most important point, how were we going to kill her? We couldn't just ask nicely to let her release Dean from his deal.

"Ain't you just bringing down the room," Bobby noted taking in the fact that Aiden, Sam and I both had the same expressions. We weren't going to just let this drop, not with just thirty hours to go.

"Yeah, well, it's a gift," Dean snarked.

"I'm sorry," Sam snapped. "So, then, what are we supposed to do, Dean?"

"Just because I gotta die doesn't mean the rest of you have to, okay?" Dean reproached. "Either we go in smart or we don't go in at all."

"Okay fine," Sam growled. "If that's the case I have the answer."

"Oh, you do?" Dean questioned.

"Yeah," Sam said. "A surefire way to confirm it's Lilith and a way to get us a bona fide demon-killing ginsu."

"Damn it Sam, no," Dean snapped. He turned his back and walked away a few steps.

"We're so past arguing, Dean!" Sam hissed at Dean's back. "I'm summoning Ruby."

"The hell you are!" Dean roared. "Hailey tried that move, already, remember? She doesn't want to help us! We have enough problems as it is."

"We've got no time and no choice either," Sam stated.

"Come on, man," Dean groaned. "She is the Miss Universe of lying skanks, okay. She told you that she could save me huh – lie. She seems to know everything about Lilith but forgot to mention, oh right, Lilith owns my soul! At least until Hailey tortured it out of her."

"Alright, fine, she's a liar," Sam muttered. "She's still got that knife."

"And we have the gun!" Dean retorted.

"A gun that we're not even sure works on demons," Aiden said.

"No, Aiden," Dean responded.

"We haven't tested it on anyone, how are we supposed to know whether or not it works?" I questioned.

"You're telling me you wanted us to kill a random person just to make sure that the gun works?" Dean growled.

"What do you think is going to happen to the body Lilith is wearing, Dean? " I fumed.

"Hay," Aiden whispered.

"Then we won't do anything at all," Dean retorted.

"Like hell we aren't!" Sam shouted.

"For all we know Ruby works for Lilith!" Dean suggested sharply. "Which was exactly why Hailey shouldn't have summoned her in the first place."

"Then give us another option, Dean!" Sam demanded. "I mean, tell us what else can we do?"

"Sam's right," Bobby said.

"I agree," Aiden and I chorused.

Dean sent us all a sharp glare before barking, "No! Damn it!"

We all looked at each other in surprise. Sure these hadn't been the most pleasant couple of days but we had made it through without snapping at each other until today that is. And what was even more surprising was the fact that Dean yelled at Bobby, a man we all saw as a surrogate father. Dean would usually never dream of being that disrespectful.

"Just no," Dean whispered, calmer, "We're not going to make the same mistakes all over again. You guys wanna save me, find something else."

We all exchanged glances as Dean walked back and sat at the table in the living room. I hated the way he looked right now. Dean didn't look like the person I had grown up with. He looked defeated and sad and tired.

"Where are you going, Bobby?" Sam sighed.

"I guess to find something else," Bobby mumbled.

Sam sighed again audibly as we all walked in different directions. I wondered vaguely if anyone else was starting to feel trapped in this stupid cabin. I was about to sit down and read another book that wouldn't help us with the current situation when I saw Sam sneak out of the house. I placed the book back down and snuck after him, keeping my distance. I watched as Sam set up what looked to be the same sigil I had drawn to summon Ruby. He was on his knees as he lit a candle that was resting on every outside point.

"Ad construgendum ad ligandum eos pariter Et solvendum," Sam murmured.

Suddenly the barn creaked and I ducked behind a beam as Sam turned around. I watched as he turned back and sighed, "Er ad congregatum eos coram me."

He took the box of matches stroke on dropping it into the blow and watching as the fire flared up before it calmed down. Sam stood up and slowly turned to look behind him once more of the floor creaked. There was nothing else besides me, not that he knew that, of course.

"Hey, Sam, how's tricks," Ruby stated as she leaned against the opposite doorway.

"I didn't think you'd come," Sam admitted looking somewhat angry.

"Why's that?" Ruby asked. "Because your baby sister black-mailed me into getting you information? Nah, I forgive and forget. Anyway, you called?"

"I want your knife," Sam snapped.

"You already have the Colt," Ruby said.

"I want your knife," Sam repeated.

"That so?" Ruby scoffed.

"Yeah," Sam growled. "We're ready now."

"You're right about one thing. You are ready," Ruby mused. "And now's the time, too. Lilith's guard's down."

"You don't say," Sam responded.

"She's on shore-leave," Ruby continued, ignoring Sam's comment, "A little R&R."

"The hell's that mean?" Sam grimaced.

"Trust me, you don't wanna know," Ruby retorted. "You didn't loose those hex bags I gave you?"

"We've got 'em," Sam said.

Wait one minute. This bitch had given Sam something before? And he took it. When the hell had they even talked. I glared at the back of my brother's head. That little patronizing jackass. What? I'm not allowed to befriend a demon for information but it's perfectly fine when Sam and aforementioned demon become besties?

"Good," Ruby grinned. "Then she won't sense that you're coming."

"So, you'll give us the knife?" Sam questioned.

"No," Ruby stated.

"But you just said…" Sam spat.

"You wanna charge in with one little pig sticker and a magic gun?" Ruby demanded. "That's a waste of a true-blue window. Like getting Hitler with that exploding briefcase. Forget it."

"Then how?" Sam shouted.

"I know how to save your brother, Sam," Ruby replied.

"No, you don't!" Sam barked. "You told Dean you couldn't! You've been lying to me all along, so just give me your damn knife!"

"You're not the one I've been lying to," Ruby disagreed. "I haven't lied to you or Hailey."

"Oh, so you can save him?" Sam grumbled.

"No, you can," Ruby shrugged.

"What?" Sam frowned.

"Sam you've got some God-given talent," Ruby sighed. "Well, not "God' given but you get the gist."

"All that psychic crap?" Sam clarified. "That's gone ever since Azazel died."

"Not gone, dormant," Ruby shook her head. "And not just visions either. Why do you think Lilith is so scared of you?"

"Scared of me?" Sam scoffed. "Right."

"If you wanted, you could wipe her off the map without moving a muscle," Ruby smirked.

"I don't believe you," Sam muttered.

"It's the truth," Ruby responded.

"Oh, and you just decide to tell me this now?" Sam rolled his eyes.

"Uhm…Demon," Ruby pointed out. "Manipulative kinda in the job description. Fact is, you would've never considered it. Not until you were…"

"Desperate enough?" Sam interrupted.

Ruby shrugged looking away. "You don't like being different. You hate the way Dean looks at you sometimes. Like you're some kind of sideshow freak. But suck it up because we've got a lot of ground to cover, and we've gotta do it fast. But we can do it."

Sam's jaw clenched as he actually began to internalize what Ruby was saying.

"Look, call me a bitch, hate me all you want, but I have never lied to you, Sam, not ever," Ruby growled. "And I'm telling you, you can save you're brother and I can show you how."

"So, that's you, huh?" Dean snapped and I jumped about five feet, not hearing him come up behind me, "Our slutty little Yoda."

"Dean," Ruby hissed all traces of kindness gone from her voice as she glared at him, "charming as ever."

"Aw, I knew you'd show up," Dean sneered. "Because I knew _**Sam**_ wouldn't listen."

I winced in sympathy as Sam looked at Dean before quickly turning away. That tone was _never_ a good sign. Granted, the one thing Dean hated in a long list of pet peeves was the disregard for orders. Dean had made it clear that Ruby was not to be involved and Sam had summoned her. He seemed even angrier than when I had summoned Ruby the first time.

"But you're not going to teach him anything, you understand me?" Dean spat. "Over my dead body."

"Oh, well, you're right about that," Ruby scoffed.

"Bitch," I snarled moving to lunge but Dean jumped in front of me placing a restraining hand on my arm.

"What you are going to do is give me that knife," Dean announced pinning me with a stay-out-of-this look, "and then you're going to go crawl back into whatever slop you came from and never both me or my family again. Are we clear?"

"Your brother is carrying a bomb inside of him and we'd be stupid not to use it," Ruby retorted.

"Dean, look, just hold on for one…"

"Sam!" Dean interrupted Sam, glaring at him furiously. "Come on many, what, are you blind? Can't you see this is a trick?"

"That's not true!" Ruby protested.

"She wants you to give into this whole demonic psychic whatever, okay?" Dean rolled his eyes, "I mean, hell, she probably wants you to become her little anti-Christ Super Star."

"I want Lilith dead!" Ruby snapped beginning to get angry, "That's all."

"Why?" Dean questioned.

"I've told you why!" Ruby grumbled.

"You've talked to her?" I asked.

Dean gave me another stay-out-of-this look before mocking, "Oh, right, yeah. Because you were human once and you like kittens and long walks on the beach."

I glared at Dean, not for what he was saying to Ruby but the fact that at some point between when I had summoned Ruby the first time and here both Sam and Dean had met with her. I guess I wasn't going to be getting a Christmas card, either. That's what happens when you try to exorcise demons, I guess, they don't like that very much.

"You know, I'm so sick of proving myself to you," Ruby snarled. "You wanna save yourself, this is how. You dumb, spineless dick."

My eyes widened in surprise and damn near fell out of my head when Dean turned around as if to leave. His eyes met mine for a fraction of a second, which was why I wasn't all that surprised when he spun around punching Ruby right in the face. Sam jumped back looking at Dean in alarm as Ruby stumbled. She glanced up at him before placing a hand to her lip and glaring at him. Suddenly she moved hitting him once with each of her fists.

"Ruby!" Sam called. "Hey! Stop it!"

Ruby had already retaliated paying Dean back for his blow, when Sam moved to intervene she whirled on him in a blur of kicks and punches before he was finally knocked to the ground. I shook my head before I titled my head and she went flying into the opposite wall, the same wall that the old Devil's trap use to be. She looked at me, rage in her eyes as she glared at me ferociously. I snatched the only over thing we knew that could kill demon's besides the Colt. Now at least two of us would be armed for this.

"The hell are you grinning at?" Ruby panted as Dean took the knife from my hand.

"Missing something?" Dean grinned, holding up the knife.

"You bitch," Ruby snarled before looking at Dean, "I'll kill you, you son of a bitch."

She rushed forward and midway through she ricocheted back. I glanced at Dean questionably but he was staring at her as she tried to walk forward again. She looks at Dean again before her eyes rolled up towards the ceiling. When she glanced back at us she was pissed. Dean let a smile crawl over his features.

"Like I said," Dean smirked before rubbing a hand over his face, "I knew you'd come."

He turned on his heel and walked away heading towards the main house.

"Wait!" Ruby protested, "You're just gonna leave me here?"

"Let's go Sam," Dean ordered. "Come on, Hails."

"Oh, so you're just too stupid to live, is that it?" Ruby seethed. "Then fine! You deserve hell! I wish I could be there, Dean! I wish I could smell the flesh sizzle off your bones! I WISH I COULD BE THERE TO HEAR YOU SCREAM!"

"And I wish you'd shut your pie hole, but we don't always get what we want," Dean muttered.

I slammed the door behind us as Sam and I walked after Dean, who was striding angrily towards the house. He slammed through the back door, walking back towards the library as Sam and I slunk back inside.

"What's going on?" Aiden asked obviously feeling the tension between the three of us. "What did I miss?"

Sam and I looked at each other before walking in different directions, Aiden clearly noticing that neither of us made a move to follow after Dean.

"Hey, you guys?" Aiden called. "Fine, just pretend like I wasn't talking."

I walked down to the basement as Sam headed up towards the bedroom. I sat down on the ratty couch that Bobby had down there and folded my knees up to my stomach and resting my chin on top of my knees. This whole situation really sucked. In fact that could be the understatement of the century. We were all at each other's throats from lack of sleep. Dean was thirty hours for his deal coming due and despite knowing where Lilith was, and now having both the gun and the knife we weren't moving.

I allowed myself to wallow for a few more minutes before I swallowed back my grief and emotions and focused on one thing: getting Dean out of his deal no matter what the cost was. I walked back upstairs and noticed that both Sam and Dean were standing at the table, all our weapons laid out in front of them. The Colt and the knife were in the center of it all. It was still tense as both Sam and Dean moved as one cleaning the weapons skillfully and mindlessly. When you have been cleaning weapons for the better part of your life, you really don't have to use too much brain power to do it.

"We're just gonna let Ruby rot in there?" Sam sighed.

"That's the idea," Dean replied.

"Dean, what if…" Sam began, "What if Ruby's right? What if I can take on Lilith?"

Dean placed the gun he was cleaning heavily on the table as he glared sharply at Sam in a are-you-kidding way.

"Don't look at me like that," Sam whined.

"What?" Dean mocked. "Ya gonna give her the _Carrie_ stare and Lilith goes poof?"

"I don't know what Ruby meant," Sam frowned. "You know, maybe we should just go ask her."

"Sam, you wanted the knife, I got you the knife," Dean growled.

"Dean, just listen to me for a second," Sam pleaded. "You said we go in smart or we don't go in at all."

"This isn't smart, Sam!" Dean retorted.

"We have one shot at this, Dean," Sam groaned. "So, if there's one surefire way then maybe we should just talk about it."

"I agree," I said. We can get Abby and Lucy to come with us maybe there's some mojo that we all have that can help you."

"No," Dean stated, "We aren't making the same mistakes again."

"You say that but what does it mean?" Sam demanded.

"You don't see that pattern?" Dean responded. "Dad's deal, my deal, now this? I mean every time one of us is up the creek the other is begging to sell their soul. That's all this is, man. Ruby's just jerking your chain down the road. You know what its paved with and you know where it's going."

"None of that matters," Aiden said, "Nothing matters except saving you."

"Dean, it makes sense," I whispered, "With my abilities and Sam's we can defend ourselves while you and Aiden have the Colt and that knife. We need everything we can get."

"And it'll save you," Sam said.

"Why even risk it?" Dean asked.

"Because you're out brother," Sam stated firmly. "Because you did the same thing for me. Because you've been looking out for us our entire lives and now it's out turn."

"I know," Dean scoffed hanging his head before looking at us, "And look how all this turned out."

We all glanced away as Dean looked at each one of us.

"All I'm saying…" Dean paused and swallowed his eyes welling with tears. "You guys, all I'm saying is that you're my weak spot and I'm yours."

"You don't mean that," Sam choked, "We're family."

"I know," Dean sighed. "And those evil sons of bitches know it too. I mean, what we'll do for each other, you know, how far we'll go? They're using it against us."

"So what?" Sam called. "We just stop looking out for each other?"

"No, we stop being martyrs, man," Dean retorted. "We stop spreading it for these demons."

Dean picked up the knife and held it up, "We take this knife, and that gun, and we go after Lilith our way. The way dad taught us to. And if we down, then we go down swinging. What do you think?"

We all looked at each other and shrugged. Of course, we wanted to just wanted all this to be over. Dean wanted it done his way and the way Dad would've done. I just wanted Lilith dead and my old life back with all my brothers safe, well as safe as our lives ever were. And I didn't really care what I had to make sure to make sure that Dean never went to hell.

"I think you totally should've been jamming 'Eye of the Tiger' right there," Sam smirked

"Oh, bite me," Dean complained rising to his feet, "I totally rehearsed that speech, too."

"Indiana, huh?" Aiden asked.

"Yeah, where Lilith's on shore-leave," Dean grimaced.

"Yeah, I guess," Sam grimaced.

"Tell me something?" Dean questioned.

"What?" I replied.

"The hell's a demon do for fun?" Dean growled.

That was a damn good question and at the same time one I didn't even want to think about. Who knows what a demon did for fun? They rode some of the people they were possessing right in the ground. Sometimes so bad that the only thing keeping the person alive was the demon inside.

We were already to leave, we had been all packed for days. We all walked out and hoped in, only when Dean tried to start the car it wouldn't start up. Dean's brow furrowed as he tried to start it up. Suddenly Bobby knocked on the window causing us all to jump.

"Where do you think you're going?" Bobby asked.

Dean's eyes went from Bobby's to the distributor cap in his hand. After a beat we all opened our doors and got out.

"We to the knife," Dean said.

"And you intend to use it without me?" Bobby growled. "Do I look like a ditchable prom-date to you?"

Aiden left out a huff that sounded suspiciously like a laugh before he bit it back when Bobby glared at him. He schooled his features as Bobby turned back towards Dean.

"Bobby, of course not," Sam protested.

"This is about us," Dean whispered. "Okay? This isn't your fight."

"The hell it isn't!" Bobby shouted hissing at Dean furiously.

Dean recoiled slightly obviously taken aback by his anger and Bobby used the lull to continue, "Family don't end with blood, boy. Beside, you need me."

"Bobby," Dean groaned.

"You're playing wounded," Bobby stated firmly, "Tell me, how many hallucinations have you had so far?"

"Hallucinations?" I repeated, looking to Dean for clarification, "what hallucinations?"

"How'd you know?" Dean asked.

"Because that's what happens when you've got hellhounds on your butt," Bobby shrugged, "and I'm smart."

Aiden, Sam, and I shared a look, obviously none of us had realized what exactly what happening with Dean. Dean, on the other hand looked down at the ground before Bobby nudged Dean, giving him the distributor cap.

"I'll follow," Bobby ordered. "And don't be stopping to pee every ten minutes either."

Bobby got in his mustang and began to drive away as Dean put the cap back where it belonged. We all shared on what just happened look before all climbing into the car and heading straight towards New Harmony, Indiana.

I waited until my brothers were distracted before I sent one quick text to Lucy and Abby telling them where we were going and then I sent a text to my cousin Reid telling to have my bike sent to wherever I was when I needed it. Sometimes, having witches for family member worked out.

"Who are you texting?" Aiden asked.

"Lucy and Abby," I replied.

"Why?" Aiden questioned.

"So, we can have another edge," I muttered.

"Dean said no," Aiden hissed.

"And when he survives tonight with his soul intact then he can yell at me," I retorted.

Aiden huffed and rolled his eyes obviously not all too happy with my decision but agreeing that it had to be done. We didn't have to sit in silence for too long because it was obvious that Sam had something on his mind.

"Dean?" Sam called.

"Yeah?" Dean responded.

"You know if this doesn't, uh, this doesn't go the way we want," Sam began. "I want you to know…"

"Sam, don't," Dean warned.

"Don't what?" Sam retorted.

"Don't bust out that good-bye speech, okay?" Dean huffed. "And if this is my last day on earth, I do not want it to be socially awkward."

By the end of Dean's tirade his tone was borderline reproachful as Sam looked down, his tone lightened back up quickly, "You know what I do what?"

I watched as Dean hit a button on the radio as the started track of a Bon Jovi song began to play as Sam shot Dean a are-you-feeling-all-right look.

"Bon Jovi?" Sam teased.

"Bon Jovi rocks," Dean retorted. "On occasion."

I leaned back in my seat as I listened to Dean begin to sing along with the radio. No one said a word as we listened to the Dean singing. His voice was nice and soothing and brought back memories of simpler times, times before I knew what the family business even was. Dean's singing awakened a longing in me that I had thought vanished a long time ago. A hope for a better life, a safer life, a normal life.

As the impala zoomed along an empty stretch of blacktop or what we thought was an empty stretch of blacktop. We were twenty minutes away from New Harmony when flashing red and blue lights pulled behind us a siren started up.

"Are we getting pulled over?" Sam asked.

"I've got a busted tail-light," Dean groaned. "It's not like we're in a hurry or nothing."

Dean began to pull the impala over as the police car stopped behind us. I watched as the police officer walked past Aiden's window and signed a flashlight in on us as Sam passed Dean the license and registration.

"Problem officer?" Dean asked.

"License and registration, please," The officer ordered.

Dean passed the papers up without looking as the officer read it quickly, "Do you realize you have a tail-light out, Mr. Hagard?"

Dean glanced up at the police officer and when he did answer it sounded strained and a little confused, "Yes, yes sir. Uh, you know I've been meaning to take care of that. As a matter of fact…"

I gasped as Dean moved quickly opening the door and slamming it into the officer's stomach.

"Dean!" Sam exclaimed.

By the time all of us scrambled out of the car Dean had punched the officer three times in the face before he took out the knife and stabbed him through the jaw. What I didn't expect was the officer began to flash once. Oh, my god, Dean had killed a demon, how'd he know? We all stared down at the body.

"What the hell happened?" Bobby demanded.

"Dean just killed a demon," Sam gaped. "How'd you know?"

"I just knew," Dean replied looking as dumbfounded as the rest of us. "I could see it's face. It's real face, under that one."

"This is so fucked up," Aiden mumbled.

"Guys, we need to move," Bobby ordered, "Aiden, Sam put the body in the car. Hailey, you drive."

"Yes sir," I replied.

"No, Hailey you drive the impala, I got the cop car," Dean counter-ordered.

I looked over to Bobby who shrugged, "Someone just do what I said."

I hopped into the driver's side of the impala and followed along my brothers in the cop car as we drove it back towards the woods. We drove deep into the woods, replacing the officer back in his seat as we began to place branches over it to hide it from plain sight.

"So, what, now you're seeing demons?" Sam queried.

"I've seen all kinds of things lately," Dean muttered. "But, nothing like this."

"Actually, it's not all that crazy," Bobby shrugged.

"How's that not crazy?" Dean retorted.

"Well, you've got, just over five hours to go?" Bobby replied. "You're piercing the veil, Dean. You're glimpsing the B side."

"A little less new age-y please?" Dean muttered.

"You're almost hell's bitch," Bobby stated. "So, you can see hell's other bitches."

Dean looked surprised for a moment before he put on his sarcastic expression, "Thank you."

"Well, actually it come in pretty handy," Sam muttered.

"Oh, well, I'm glad my doomed soul is good for something," Dean scoffed.

"You're damn right it is," Bobby agreed. "Lilith's probably got demons staked out all over town. We can't let them sound the alarm. She knows we're here, and we're dead before we've started.

"Great, well, this is an awesome plan," Dean rolled his eyes. "I'm excited to be apart of it. Can we go, please?"

Dean began to walk away grabbing the keys from my outstretched hand as we followed after him. We had hidden the car as well as we could, not that it really mattered. We had wiped our prints. Besides it was more than likely that the police officer had been dead for some time, that would be fun for coroners to rationalize.

We parked the car on the edge of town as we walked straight into the neighborhood, making sure that we remained unseen. This place had to be crawling with demons to protect their leader. We snuck up close to the house where Bobby said that Lilith was in.

"It's in the little girl," Dean hissed. "Her face is awful."

"Alright then, let's go," Sam said.

Sam dropped his binoculars to his side as he glanced at the rest of us. I shrugged and stood up from my haunches.

"Whoa," Dean retorted causing all of us to stop short, "Wait."

"For what?" Sam demanded. "For it to kill the rest of them?"

"Yeah, and us too if we're not careful," Dean reproached. "See that real go-getter mailman on the clack at nine PM?"

We turned around and saw that there was a mailman sorting through mail at the end of the street.

"And, Mr. Rogers over there," Dean said, pointing across the street.

"Yes," Dean sighed.

"Okay, fine," Sam relented. "We ninja pass those guys, sneak in."

"And, then what?" Dean demanded. "Give a Columbian necktie to a ten year old girl, come on!"

"Look Dean, I know it's awful…" Sam started.

"You think?" Dean scoffed.

I gulped when I had imagined this who thing I never thought that a demon who possess a child. That we might have to kill a child to kill the demon inside. But, Dean was worth it and I said that I'd do anything to get him out of this. I just, never expected this.

"This isn't just about saving you, Dean," Sam muttered. "This is about saving everybody."

"She's gotta be stopped, son," Bobby replied.

"Oh, damn it," Dean hissed after he thought about it after a moment.

I glanced at Sam knowing that he had spoken the truth but Dean was much more likely to follow along with us if we made him think other people were at risk.

"What've we missed?" Abby whispered.

"Hailey," Dean growled. "I told you…"

"And you can yell at me about this for the rest of my life for al I care," I interrupted. "After you survive this."

Dean shook his head as he stood up and we began to walk towards the impala. With Abby and Lucy by my side I felt like a little less vulnerable. We were arming up, we had the Colt and Ruby's dagger and then we had the normal guns and salt.

Bobby had run off a few minutes ago saying something about blessing the water in the sprinkler system. While the rest of us began to stake out the neighborhood. I heard a twig snap seconds before a bunch grazed the top of my head as I ducked. Sam reacted instantly, stabbing one of the demons in the stomach. Dean and Sam then dragged the body behind the bushes as we weaved in between houses. We were right by a fence when I saw a flash of blonde seconds before Dean was shoved face first into the fence.

"I'd like my knife back now," Ruby snarled. "Or your neck snaps like a chicken bone."

I was about to fling the bitch, sending her on a one way ticket straight to hell but Sam reacted his. He wrapped an arm behind her stomach and the knife at her neck, "He doesn't have it. Take it easy."

"How the hell did you get out?" Dean snapped as Sam tossed her away from us.

"What you don't know about me could fill a book," Ruby growled.

"Whoa," Dean grimaced as he recoiled staring at Ruby in disgust.

"What?" Ruby asked.

"Nothing, I just…" Dean grimaced, " I couldn't see you before, but you're one ugly broad."

Ruby glared at Dean before redirecting her gaze, "Sam, give me the knife before you hurt yourself."

"You'll get it when this is over," Sam hissed.

"It's already over!" Ruby snapped. "I gave you a way to save Dean, you shot me down. That gun or the knife isn't going to help. Now it's too late. He's dead and I'm not going to let you die too."

"Try and stop me, and I'll kill you, bitch," Sam sneered.

"Hit me with your best shot, baby," Ruby smirked.

"Hey!" Dean growled. "Have your little catfight later."

I swiveled in the direction that dean had been looking noticing that two people were standing outside of their porch looking straight at us. If that wasn't bad enough there were more people, demons their black eyes shining in the street light.

"So much for the element of surprise," Dean grumbled.

"Run!" Sam shouted.

We ran instantly tearing through other people's yard and making a beeline to the house that we had seen Lilith in. Abby and Lucy were at my heels as my brothers and I kept pace with one another.

"Where the hell is Bobby?" Aiden demanded.

We hi the door of the house and Sam dropped onto a knee attempting to pick it quickly but it wasn't working. There were a lot of demons here even more than I had estimated. When one of the demons reached the walls I straightened up prepared to push them back when the sprinklers turned on. The water hit her and she started flailing as smoke rose from her skin. Another demon was caught in the Holy Water, their screams merging together as the rest of the demons kept a safe distance away glaring at us coldly.

Sam finally got the door open and Dean pushed everyone, including Ruby inside as he slammed it behind him. I gasped seeing a body on the floor, it had been there for a few days already.

"You think Lilith knows we're here?" Dean asked.

"More than likely," Abby replied.

Dean gestured for us to spread out and look around. After a basic look through everything it was deemed to be okay for a moment. But when Dean based a closed cabinet it flew open and Dean whirled around grabbing a man by the shoulders and placing a hand over the man's mouth.

"Shhh," Dean whispered. "We're here to help, okay? I'm gonna move my hand, and we're gonna talk nice and quiet, right?"

The man nodded his head in agreement as Dean slowly moved his hand.

"Sir, where is your daughter?" Sam asked.

"It's not," The man gulped. "It's not her anymore."

"Where is she?" Sam questioned.

"Upstairs, in her bedroom," The man replied.

"Okay, okay," Dean stated. "Listen to me. I want you to go downstairs to the basement, put a line of salt at the door behind you. Do you understand me?"

"Not without my wife," The man protested.

"Yes, without your wife," Dean retorted.

"No," The man snapped.

Aiden punched the man in the face and Dean looked at him in a mixture of surprise and anger, "We don't have time to argue, Dean," Aiden muttered.

Dean grabbed the man and picked him up and over his shoulder, walking away. His eyes shot up towards the stairs ordering us to go upstairs. Dean walked down the stairs to the basement as Sam told Abby, Lucy, and I to stay her as he, Aiden, and Ruby went upstairs. Lucy, Abby and I exchanged glances. Time was ticking down so fast and hopefully we killed Lilith soon. Dean came walking up the stairs glanced at us and continued to go upstairs to where the others were. Seconds later we heard a scream. Two minutes later a woman, holding a child, and Dean came walking down the stairs.

"What happened?" I demanded.

"Lilith is gone," Aiden growled.

"Alright, no matter what you hear, you and your husband, and your daughter stay in the basement," Dean ordered.

Dean led the way back down into the basement as Ruby and Sam walked past them and into another room.

"Well, I hate to say 'I told you so'," Ruby began.

"Say the words and it'll be the last thing you ever say, bitch," I snarled.

"Where is she, Ruby?" Sam asked.

"I don't know," Ruby replied.

"Could she get through the sprinklers?" Sam questioned.

"Her pay grade, she ain't sweating the holy water," Ruby shrugged.

"Alright, you win," Sam groused. "What do I have to do?"

"Sam," Aiden protested.

"What do you mean?" Ruby said.

"To save Dean," Sam stated. "What do I need to do?"

I watched as Dean came into the room behind Sam. Oh, this was going to over well. Dean grabbed Sam's shoulders in an attempt to turn him around but Sam shied away.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Dean growled.

"Dean, just shut up for a second," Sam snapped. "Ruby!"

"You had your chance," Ruby muttered. "You can't just flip a switch. We needed time."

"You stupid useless bitch," I snarled.

I made a move to lunge towards her when Abby and Lucy restrained me each grabbing an arm.

Ruby looked at me in scorn as Sam gaped at her.

"Well, there's gotta be something!" Sam shouted and then whirled around to address Dean who had once again placed his hand on Sam's shoulder. "I'm not going to let you go to hell, Dean!"

"None of us are!" Aiden added.

"Yes, you are!" Dean hissed.

We all looked at him taken aback by a moment as he took a moment to calm down.

"Yes, you are," Dean repeated.

"Dean, no," I whispered.

"I'm sorry," Dean whispered. "I mean this is all my fault, I know that. But, Sam, what you're doing it's not gonna save me, it'll only kill you."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Sam replied turning away for a moment as tears began building in his eyes.

"Keep fighting," Dean stated. "Take care of Aiden and Hails, take care of my wheels. Guys, remember what dad taught you, okay? Remember what I taught you."

"Dean," I whimpered.

I shook my head as tears welled in my eyes before trickling over. Sam and Aiden and Dean were fighting back time and just when I thought that this couldn't get harder the clock began to chime. It was midnight, it had been one year since Sam had been resurrected, one year since Dean had given up his soul. The hold that Lucy and Abby had on me became less restraining and more consoling as tears poured freely down my face.

"I'm sorry, Dean," Ruby whispered. "I wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy."

In normal circumstances I would've glared at her or something instead I focused my attention on my brothers who were all fighting to stay strong. Suddenly Dean stiffened gazing off into the distance.

"Hellhound," Dean hissed.

"Where?" Sam demanded.

"There," Dean pointed forward.

Aiden moved to shoot at it but Dean laid a restraining hand on his arm. When Dean ran we all immediately moved after him running through a small hallway and into the room. Sam and Ruby slammed the doors and held them as Dean poured out goofer dust, which was a hoodoo spell to keep hellhounds at bay. When he finished that he poured it over the window.

I shot a glance to Abby and Lucy who nodded subtly, meaning that we all sensed that there was something that just didn't add up about all this.

"Give me the knife," Ruby ordered. "Maybe I can fight them off."

Sam just looked at her in confusion. What was she going to do stab a hellhound? The only person who could see it was Dean.

"What?" Sam responded.

"Sam, come on!" Ruby growled. "That dust won't last forever."

"Wait!" Dean called when Sam was about to hand Ruby the knife.

Aiden and I looked between Dean and Ruby unsure of what exactly was going on.

"You want to die?" Ruby demanded.

"Sam, that's not Ruby!" Dean realized, "It's not Ruby!"

Aiden moved to fire the Colt and Ruby turned flinging her hand and the gun went flying in the direction her hand went. Before Sam could even move on the offensive with the knife Ruby flung him against the wall. Sam went flying before slamming against the wall. She then threw Lucy, Abby, and Aiden into the wall next to Sam as she pushed Dean on top of the table pinning him. Dean grunted as he picked his head up to look at Ruby.

"How long you been in her?" Dean sneered.

"Not long," Lilith smiled as Ruby's expression became more childlike. She looked down on Ruby's body as she continued to speak, "But I like it. It's all grown up and pretty."

I flinched when I saw that instead of the typical black eyes associated with most demons Lilith had white. That meant that Ruby was right, Lilith wasn't like anything we've faced before. Not even Azazel and that thought scared me to the bone.

"And where's Ruby?" Sam asked.

"She was a very bad girl, so I sent her far, far away," Lilith smiled. Her eyes turning back to Ruby's typical blue as she titled her head and I heard her neck crack with every single motion.

"You know, I should've seen it before," Dean growled. "But you all look alike to me."

"What a nice group of people you handed to me," Lilith said. "The Trinity and hello, Sam, I've wanted to meet you for a very long time."

Lilith wandered over to Sam grabbing hold of his chin, forcing him to face her. And then she kissed him.

"Your lips are soft," Lilith whispered.

Sam moved his head up and to the side, trying to get loose, "Right so you have me. Let my family go."

"Silly goose," Lilith scolded. "You wanna bargain, you have to have something that I want. You don't. I already have what I want. You're brothers soul and the Trinity one of the only things that stand between my father being free."

"So, is this your big plan, huh? Drag me to hell, kill them. And then what? Become queen bitch?" Dean snapped.

"I don't have to answer to puppy chow," Lilith retorted.

I looked at my brother who was clearly in pain as he fought against Lilith's restraint. I struggled against her own hold and found it unyielding. I could move hand a little bit each way and nearly flinched when Abby's hand wrapped around mine. I found an amount of comfort that hold as I watched Lilith moved away from Sam and towards the door. She grabbed a hold of the door handle and opened it. She turned back towards Dean a wide victorious smile on her face. I struggled against the wall.

"Sic 'em, boy," Lilith ordered.

Dean looked at each of us before he was grabbed by his leg and pulled him off the table.

"NO!" I shouted my cries mingling with Aiden and Sam and the girls. "Stop!"

Dean's screams echoed in the room and crashed through my mind as I watched unable to do anything as the hellhound ripped him to pieces.

"STOP IT!" Sam cried.

"NO!" Aiden sobbed.

Suddenly the Abby, Lucy, and I fell away from the wall as Lilith looked completely shocked. I looked around my stomach turning as I glanced at Dean, he was too still, there was too much blood and then I noticed that Aiden and Sam were both still pinned.

"Blood," Lucy hissed.

"A time of darkness is rising," Abby whispered.

"Blood is the final price to pay," Lucy stated.

"The Trinity was made from the best of intentions," I began realizing that it wasn't really Abby, Lucy, and I who were speaking but something else, something old.

"Born to see the good in people, the light in the world," Lucy chanted.

"Three to stand between light and shadow," Abby intoned.

"We've chosen sides and it is of the light," I stated.

"Ours is the power of the ages," Lucy said.

"Ours is the power of the end of the world!" Abby, Lucy, and I shouted.

"You chose wrong," Lilith scoffed.

She had previously been packing up as we said that prayer or incantation but now she held out her hand as a bright light erupted in the room. It builds up and we shield our eyes, it was too bright. I grabbed for Aiden's hand and he returned the desperation of the grip. When the blinding whiteness receded we were all still fine, nothing had happened. Sam had huddled into a corner but stood up and began walking towards Lilith, the knife in his hand.

"Back!" Lilith ordered.

Sam sneered as he walked toward her, determination in his expression. Before he could get within striking range Lilith tilted back her host's head and rushed out of the body, screaming the entire way, before the empty shell crumbled to the floor.

"Oh, god, Dean!" I sobbed.

Lucy and Abby fell back as Aiden, Sam and I collapsed around Dean, tears pouring fast and furiously.

"No," Sam whispered. "No. Dean."

I reached out a shaky hand to touch him but pulled back. There were huge gaping scratches going straight to the bone as I stared at his unseeing eyes. His expression frozen into one of pain, his eyes staring at the ceiling. I reached out and closed them gently. It felt like everything had just fallen out under me. The one person who was always there was laying dead in front of me and I didn't do anything to stop it.

I don't know how long we stayed in that house, with that family in the basement. We didn't know if those demons were still outside. We didn't even hear Bobby come in and gasp at the scene he saw before him.

"Guys," Bobby called.

I looked at him hollowly, my eyes rimmed red and beginning to get swollen as I continued to cry.

"We have to get him out of here," Bobby whispered.

Sam and Aiden nodded stiffly heading down the hallway in search of sheets. Sam found a long white sheet and laid in on the ground, with Bobby and Aiden's help they gently moved Dean's body onto the sheet and wrapped him in it. The impala was outside the house now, Bobby explained that he had brought it up. The demons had vanished along with Lilith and the rest of my world.

Now what were we going to do?

**Two Weeks Later**

We were squatting on some random abandoned property. All of us were still together but things had been quiet. Aiden, Sam, and I barely spoke let alone looked at each other. I hadn't slept, haven't even tried. Every time I close my eyes I see Dean's mangled body, hear Dean's screams and cries as we tried to help him.

"What are we going to do?" Bobby asked Sam that morning.

"I don't know what you mean," Sam drawled. His voice was rough from lack of use.

"You know what I mean," Bobby hissed. "We should salt and burn his remains, Sam. This isn't healthy."

"We're not burning him," Aiden snarled.

"That's what Dean wants," Bobby replied.

"I want my family back!" Aiden shouted. "We're not doing it."

"We'll bury him," I said. "There's an empty pasture a few minutes from here."

We buried Dean that very night making sure that the grave wasn't too deep that Dean couldn't climb out of it once we found a way to bring him back. When we had finished burying the casket Sam, Aiden, and I looked at each other and nodded. It meant take care of yourself. By the morning Sam and Aiden were gone, leaving me both alone and thankful that I had the mind to grab my stuff from the impala. I had done that the first time we had gotten out of the car when we found this house. I never wanted to see that car again because that car was Dean, was my family, and now I had neither.

* * *

_**Author's Note Part Two: Hey again, long time no talk. So, I figured I'd cut to the chase and say that I'm one very upset author right now for a number of reasons. I really like the last chapter and only got two reviews on it, so I'm not updating until I get like four, sound good? I don't mean to nag but the more reviews I get the faster and more encouraged I am to write so it's a win-win for everyone. The second reason I'm upset is because college is being annoying and I have midterms in a week. So. Much. Stress. And like school wasn't enough of a pressure I have friends from home that are in the middle of an all out war right now, yeah, not pretty. GAH! Wish me lots of luck!**_

_**Till next time, my loyal readers,**_

_**Beccatdemon13**_


	34. Keep Holding On

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Keep Holding On**

"_Sometimes the cruelest part of death is life marches on as if nothing has changed and expects those left behind to carry on as well."_

**Sam's Point of View**

It had barely been a month since we had buried Dean. A whole month since I had seen either Hailey or Aiden. Dean told me to watch out for them and I couldn't even do that right. They had to be okay; they could survive almost as well as I was surviving. Or maybe a little bit better. I don't think there was a moment that went by where I wasn't drinking and if I wasn't drinking I was sleeping it off. I mobbed during the daytime never staying in one place to long.

I had to replace my cell phone; Bobby wouldn't stop calling the thing. He was worried about me. He was worried about all of us. Not that I could blame him, with Dean's death we became shells of the people we use to be. I had not stop looking for ways to get Dean out of hell but so far nothing worked, I tried opening the Devil's gate and it refused to open.

Now I was onto my second plan. I was going to summon a crossroads demon and get Dean back. I buried the box in the middle of the crossroads and took a swig of Rum. I paced around waiting for the demon to show.

"Come on!" I shouted. "Where the hell are you?"

In a fit of rage I threw the bottle and it shattered against a stop sign.

"I was wondering whether to come or not," The crossroads demon replied as he appeared behind me. "I mean you Winchesters shot one of my co-works. Don't take this the wrong way, Sam, but you don't look so hot, buddy. I guess burying your brother didn't agree with you."

"Well?" I prodded.

"Well," The demon replied, "Let's see that special little knife of yours first."

The demon walked closer and closer until only a table separated us. The demon looked around looking for a devil's trap.

"No devil's traps, either," I sneered. "I'm not here to play games."

"Well, let me guess," The demon grinned. "You wanna make a deal. Around and around the Winchester go. Who will we see next? We. Don't. Know. I'm sorry, Sam., but you're brothers not coming back, it's not going to happen.

The knife that had previously been resting on the table was in my hand in an instant as I stabbed it into the demon's hand.

"I don't want ten years," I hissed. "I don't want one year. I don't want candy! I want to take Dean's place."

"No," The crossroads demon hissed.

"Just take me!" I screamed. "It's a fair trade!"

"No!" The demon retorted.

"Why not?" I demanded. "Lilith wants me dead. Just let Dean go, and she can have me?"

"Don't you understand, Sam? It's not about your soul," The demon grumbled. "Dean's in hell, right where we want him. We've got everything exactly the way we want it. You want to kill me? Go ahead. I've made peace with my lord."

A dark, dangerous smiled flitted across my feature and I moved quickly dislodging the blade from the demon's hand and shoving it right into the Demon's jaw. The body sparked yellow as the demon inside it died. The body then crumbled to ground as I walked back to where I came. It was another thing I couldn't do right. Dean had done everything for me and now I can't even get him out of hell. I wondered if Hailey and Aiden were doing the same things I was. We all really were that desperate, that blinded with grief. This must have been what dad had felt after mom had died.

I walked back to the impala and climbed in slamming the creaking door behind me. Dean wanted me to watch the impala and that was what I was doing, I cleaned her the way he use to, made sure she got detailed and most of all made sure she was gassed up. There had been no argument between Aiden, Hails, and I over who got the car. Neither or them wanted it, didn't even look at it unless they had to. I didn't understand that. Sure, the impala was undeniably Dean's but it was also the only home we had ever known. Well, that and nearly every motel room in the continental United States.

I drove off in some random direction. I hadn't hunted a single thing since Dean had died. My only thoughts were rescuing Dean from Hell and killing the thing that put him in there. I growled as my foot hit the accelerator. I hoped that the others were having more success than I was.

For the first time, in a long time I was alone and I didn't like it. I wasn't some innocent, naïve eighteen year old who thought that he could leave the life he was destined for by going to college. Hunters didn't go to college. Hunters didn't have normal. Hell, I already had a hell of a lot more than any other hunter I came across and I left it all behind.

_It was the seventh goddamn school in four months. We had been transported all over the country staying places for weeks at a time, maybe if we were lucky, we'd get some place permanent just so no one would get suspicious, the last thing we needed was CPS sticking their noses where they didn't belong. Luckily I was almost out._

_For the moment we were staying at Barclay High School, home of the generals. Unlike most high schools we went too, Barclay was a private school and it was also housed grades six to twelfth meaning Aiden, Hailey, and I were in the same school. In all my years of schooling we had only been in private schools a handful of times. I didn't know how Dad had even swung this but I was glad he did. This school was actually challenging and the people were nice. It also happened to be in Maryland, the same state that had my PO box in it. _

_With Dad and Dean gone for the weekend it was the perfect opportunity to check to see if any school letters had come yet. Dean hadn't wanted to leave the impala so Dad left his truck instead. After making sure that Aiden could watch Hailey for a few minutes while I went and got 'dinner', I was on my way. The post office was long deserted but I scanned in and took my key reaching blindly into the box. My heart leapt into my throat as my fingers brushed against paper. Brown, Cornell, and Stanford all the letters were here. I opened the Stanford one first knowing that I had enough extreme weather to last me a lifetime._

"_Dear Samuel Winchester, We are pleased to inform you of your acceptance into Stanford University's freshman class of 2005…"_

_As I continued reading the letter I got happier and happier a way out. And I didn't even have to pay for it. A full ride scholarship. This was more than I could've ever dreamed of. I didn't have to be a hunter. I didn't have to drop out like Dean, hunt all the time like Dad, or get my GED like Dean did. Dean was such a good little soldier, everything I wasn't and that was Dad's biggest disappointment. Why can't you be more like your brother, Samuel? _

That was one of the questions that dad was quick to throw in my face as our arguments became more routine. I could see the strain it put on him, on Dean, and on the rest of the family. But it was true, I wasn't like Dean. I couldn't start raising four kids when I was just ten years old. I didn't like killing things, the moving, the injuries and the danger. I just wasn't meant for this life and that's what made dad and I co-existing nearly impossible when I was eighteen.

"_Where the hell have you been, Sam?" Aiden grumbled. "Hailey's been bitching at me about food for the past hour. What the hell were you doing?"_

"_There was a long line for food, chief, what was I supposed to do?" I retorted coming through the door with the acceptance letters carefully concealed and a bag filled with takeout containers from the local diner._

"_Don't call me that," Aiden grimaced. "I'm not a little kid anymore."_

_That had to be one of the most irritating things about little siblings. I remembered saying the exact same thing when Dean called me Sammy. But, there was one thing that was undeniable, this family liked nicknames and they weren't just going to stop because you asked them too._

"_Hailey!" I shouted up the stairs, "Dinner!"_

_At twelve years old, Hailey was growing like a weed. She was also beginning to fill out, which led to some very embarrassing conversations between her and Dean. She galloped down the stairs nearly falling face first as she rocketed in the kitchen. Aiden reached out without having to look, straightening her and giving me a look that said you-honestly-left-me-alone-with-this-little-hormone-bomb?_

"_What is it?" Hailey asked her nose wrinkling as she sat down._

"_You're favorite," I stated. "Lasagna."_

_Hailey eyed her plate critically for a moment before she dug in. Aiden and I exchanged glances recently, Hailey had gone through a picky eating kick, which made it nearly impossible to find either Dad or Dean in a good mood. Hailey could be the most stubborn of all of us and unlike us, she knew that she could use her tears as weapons and it worked nearly every time. I had eaten so many salads over the course of the month that I felt like a rabbit._

_The rest of the week passed with little incident. I had nearly forgotten about the college letters in my drawer, the tickets to freedom. I grimaced as I walked around school, it was on Fridays that upperclassmen had longer days. It was only about an hour difference. Aiden and Hailey would walk home and I'd come home later. Normally they'd be watching TV or just relaxing after a week of school._

_All was quiet when I finally made it back home and that was weird because the impala was parked outside, which meant that Dad and Dean had made it back. When I walked into the kitchen I noticed that Dad was sitting at the table a stack of papers in front of him. Furious green eyes pinned my own as I walked through._

"_You have anything you want to tell me, Samuel?" Dad barked._

"…_Uh, no?" I choked. It was one of the bigger warning signs. Dad barely ever called me Samuel only when I had pushed things to far. But I had only been in the room two minutes that was hardly enough times for a 'Samuel' to just be thrown out._

"_What the hell are these?" Dad growled picking up the papers and stalking over to me to wave them in my face._

"_You were in my room!" I shouted._

"_Your room?" Dad scoffed. "That might be your room, boy. But this is my house, my rules."_

"_You don't even own this house!" I retorted. "We're squatting."_

"_That's enough, Sam," Dad snapped. "You wanna tell me what this shit is?"_

"_That's my future," I replied._

"_Oh, no it isn't," Dad disagreed._

"_I'm not a hunter!" I screamed. "I'm not like you or Dean. Hunting is not going to be my life."_

"_You have a responsibility to this family," Dad stated._

"_It's been twelve years, Dad!" I groaned. "If you haven't found the damn thing yet what makes you so sure you'll find it now."_

"_You're not going to some school and that's final," Dad ordered._

"_No, I'm going to Stanford, dad," I sighed. "You know most parents are happy when their children get a full ride to an Ivy League school."_

"_I should be happy that you're abandoning this family?" Dad scoffed. "Yeah, son, I'm so proud."_

"_You're a selfish bastard," I snarled._

"_And you're not going anywhere," Dad demanded sharply._

"_Mom never would've wanted this for us," I growled. _

_Suddenly Dad lunged hands wrapping around my shirt as he slammed me against the wall. It took a lot to make John Winchester lose control and I had jumped over that line with both feet with no regard as to how I'd land safely. _

"_Dad, let him go," Dean stated._

"_Don't talk about her like that," Dad hissed ignoring Dean. "You think I don't know what's best for my children? That I don't know what my wife wanted for you?"_

"_We have no home," I snapped back. "How is this good for us? How would Mom want this for us?"_

"_Sam that's enough," Dean warned._

"_You want normal so bad, Sammy boy?" Dad sneered. "Fine, you have it in spades. But you walk out that door don't expect to be let back in."_

"_Dad!" Dean protested._

"_Fine," I growled staring at Dad._

_He let go of my shirt and I brushed past him and up the stairs pashing both Aden and Hailey who were staring wide-eyed in the direction of the kitchen. I grabbed my duffel bag and began to pack. I was done in five minutes and slipped on my backpack and duffel bag as I jogged back down the stairs and slammed out of the rental house._

"_Sammy!" Dean called. "Sam wait!"_

"_What?" I snarled turning on my heel and glaring. "What do you want, Dean?"_

"_Where are you going?" Dean asked._

"_What?" I recoiled. "No orders to get back in the house? Apologize to dad and stop being selfish?"_

"_You wanna go to college, I can't stop you," Dean shrugged. "But you have three months of school left, what are you going to do?"_

"_I don't know." I whispered._

"_Dad doesn't mean it," Dad soothed._

"_Really because it sounded like he did," I scoffed._

"_He's hurt," Dean said. "Here, Sammy."_

_I took the envelope that Dean had offered me and looked inside, "Dean, what is this?"_

"_It's money to help you for school," Dean stated._

"_I can't take this," I replied handing it back._

_Dean took the envelope out of my hand and then put it in my pocket. "I'm never not gonna look out for you, Sammy. You need the money. I'll call the school on Monday and see if you could dorm there until you graduate."_

"_Dean," I sniffed._

"_Are you sure this is what you want?" Dean whispered._

"_I can't do this anymore," I replied. "I just…I'm not made for this Dean. I'm not like you or Dad and I'm sorry."_

"_Just be careful, Sammy," Dean ordered. "And stay in touch."_

_Dean grabbed me into a hug and tears fell down my face as I clutched him back not knowing how long Dad would stay mad. In the process of getting the one thing I always wanted I never thought my father would abandon me. Disown me just for wanting to go to college._

Dean had given me five thousand dollars. I didn't know how he got that kind of money, or even how long he'd been saving up for me. He hadn't seemed all that surprised that I wanted to go to college. Not that I was surprised, if there was one person who could read me like a book it was Dean and now he was gone. He never knew how grateful I was to have his blessing, and that no matter what he still looked after me.

After the impala was my home for nearly my entire life I could recognize that engine for blocks away. I'd only see it in flashes but it was enough for me to realize that I wasn't ever as far from my family as I thought. I'd even see that massive truck that Dad got after he gave Dean the impala.

"_You should see the way he talks about you, Sammy," Dean praised one phone call, "Saying that one of his boy's at Stanford on a full ride." _

I shook my head as I continued driving, maybe if I never went back to hunting both Dean and Dad would still be alive. Meaning this entire mess was all my fault. If I had killed Jake when I had the chance, Dean wouldn't be in hell right now. I would still have my family.

Four hours later I stumbled into a random motel. It was a small room with only a king sized bed in the middle. After an entire lifetime of double beds it was weird. A room all to myself with no family in immediate calling distance. The punch to the side of my face sent me sprawling. A man grabbed my hair and pulled me up, the woman stole Ruby's knife holding it tightly.

"Thanks for keeping this warm for me, Sam," The woman purred.

"Ruby," I hissed.

"It's nice to be back," Ruby smirked. "Where I was, even for hell, it was nasty. I guess I really pissed Lilith off. Imagine my relief when she gave me one last chance to take it topside. All I had to do was find you and kill you."

"Fine," I snarled. "Go ahead! Do it!"

Ruby looked at me in disappoint as she raised the knife and brought it down. I waited for the explosion of pain but the grunt behind me had me turning. She had stabbed the demon holding me still.

"Grab your keys!" Ruby ordered. "We gotta go. Now!"

I growled under my breath grabbing my keys as I walked back out to the hallway with Ruby trailing at my heels. I opened the car door and she climbed in as we both put the motel that I had just paid for in the rearview mirror.

"You know what sounds good?" Ruby mused. "French fries, I'm starving. I just escaped hell. I deserve a treat. You know a 'thank you' would be nice?"

"Aw, thanks for not killing me," I rolled my eyes. "Who asked for you're help?"

"You have no idea what I've been through," Ruby snarled. "When Lilith gets pissed, she gets creative. You wanna know the corners of hell I've seen, Sam?"

"No, I don't," I muttered.

"And the things I had to do to convince her I was sorry?" Ruby demanded, "That I could be trusted?"

"Well, this will definitely get you your Christmas bonus," I snarked.

"Very funny," Ruby snapped. "I a fugitive for you, Sam. I took all this risk to get back to you, so, yeah, the least I deserve is the a damn thank you."

"Who asked you to save me?" I retorted.

"I'm just trying to help you," Ruby replied.

"Can you help me save Dean?" I demanded.

"No, nothing I know of is powerful enough to do that," Ruby sighed.

I pulled the car over to the side of the road, breaking in such a way that would have Dean lecturing me on how to treat the impala for days.

"Then I have no use for you," I stated firmly.

"What?" Ruby cried indignantly.

"Get out," I snarled.

"Whose body are you riding, Ruby?" I asked.

Why do you care?" Ruby retorted. "You've never asked me that before."

"I'm asking now," I shrugged.

"Some secretary," Ruby answered.

"Let her go," I ordered.

"Sam," Ruby sighed.

"Or I send you right back to hell," I suggested.

The secretary screamed as Ruby rushed out of her body. I drove her to the nearest hospital and dropped her at the ER before driving to the second motel of the evening. When I realized all the motels in this town were pay by the hour, I drove to the outskirts and found an abandoned house. Whoever had lived here previously had obviously left in a hurry because all the furniture was still in place. I sat down at the dining room table and began to clean the guns.

When a sudden knock echoed around the house, I picked up my shotgun and cocked it as I walked towards the front door. I placed it against the door as I opened it slowly. A tall, petite brunette suddenly marched in looking coyly at me as she shoved a piece of paper in my hand.

"Proof," The girl grinned. "This body is 100% socially conscious, I recycle. Al Gore would be proud.."

I read it quickly "You grabbed a coma patient?"

"You didn't want me to take a body with someone in it, and I made sure that the spirit was gone. Apartment was empty. You happy?"

"Why are you here?" I sighed.

"I can't bring Dean back," Ruby pronounced. "But I can get you something else that you want."

"And what would that be?" I replied.

"Lilith," Ruby smirked.

"You want me to use my psychic whatever?" I sneered.

"Look, I know it spooks you…"

"Screw the speech," I interrupted. "I'm ready. Let's go."

"Slow down there, cowboy," Ruby scolded.

"Just tell me what I have to do," I growled.

"Look, Lilith is one scary bitch," Ruby began. "When I was in the pit, there was talk. She's cooking up something big…apocalyptic big."

"So, let's kill her," I stated.

"You wanna go in there and half ass it like before?" Ruby demanded. "We have time to get it right. Let's get it right."

"Alright," I shrugged. "What do you want from me?"

"Well, a little patience," Ruby replied. "And sobriety. Promise me that and I will teach you everything you know."

"Done," I said.

**Four Weeks Later**

What Ruby wanted me to do was exorcise demons with my mind. Oh, and it got worse in order to be able to do that I needed to be stronger. Azazel gave me my powers by bleeding into my mouth when I was an infant, Ruby strengthened my powers by letting me drink her blood now.

I knew it was wrong. That Dad had to be horrified that my siblings would never understand. But I started this mess. I needed to be strong enough to kill Lilith. Saving Dean and revenge that's all that mattered anymore.

We learned best by hands on application and that's what Ruby did she taught me how. It was hard and then it got easier. The feeling of power was just seductive. But, I still wasn't strong enough I could barely tear out a lower level demon. In fact we just got back from a job, Ruby had stabbed the guy through the throat with her knife after I couldn't exorcise him.

"Just give it time, Sam, it'll get better," Ruby said.

"What?" I sighed. "I need more practice?"

"I'm not talking about pulling demons," Ruby retorted. "I know losing Dean was…"

"Hey!" I shouted, cutting her off. "I don't want to talk about it. You know what? Where do you get off slapping me with that greeting card, time-heals crap? What the hell do you know?"

"I used to be human," Ruby snapped back before calming down, "and I still remember what it feels like to lose someone. I'm sorry."

"Don't," I whispered. "I can't."

"Sam you're not alone," Ruby soothed.

"Stop it, Ruby!" I growled. "You said you had a lead on Lilith."

"No, you wanna die fighting Lilith," Ruby said. "You think that's going to make anything better?

"Nothing's going to this shit better, Ruby!" I snarled. "Get out!"

Ruby shook her head before leaving the motel room, closing the door firmly behind her. I collapsed on the bed burying my face in my hands as sob shook my body. Nothing was okay and there wasn't anything I could do about it.

* * *

_**Author's Note: You guys are AWESOME. Please keep up the reviews, they make me feel awesome and let me know how you're liking the story. Thanks again you guys *beams* ~Beccatdemon13**_


	35. Defying Gravity

_**Author's Note: In this chapter Italics symbolize both flashbacks and hallucinations. Happy Reading and keep the reviews coming. I love you guys! ~Beccatdemon13**_

**Chapter Thirty-Five: Defying Gravity**

"_What doesn't kill you sometimes make you wish it had."_

**Aiden's Point of View**

I looked horrible and that was the nicest way to phrase it. I'm so skinny, I could see most of my ribs, my eyes are glazed, and my cheekbones are sharper than they ever should've been. I swam in my clothing, my jeans staying on by the grace of god. It was freezing in New York City, far colder for fall than it had any right to be this early in the season. I shivered in the alleyway I found, back against the brick of a building, crouched so low trying to maintain any body heat that I had. I was hungry too. My hair was a rat's nest, my arms covered in tracks. Today was a day that not even the dealers were dealing. It was too cold, too many cops out tonight. There had been a robbery or something so the entirety of the NYPD was out in force.

I wasn't that picky when it came to drugs. Alcohol was always welcome, so was coke, Math, and painkillers that I swiped whenever I could. Anything that could get me high enough to forget what had happened. It had been two months since we had buried Dean. That was two months since I had seen Sam and Hailey and a full two months of nightmares, of Dean being tortured in hell screaming out for us. Screaming as the hellhounds tore him apart. I was just so tired but whenever I closed my eyes I saw Dean's eyes wide and unseeing, frozen in terror. I glanced at my phone it was nearly nine, the shelters would be opening up soon. One nice, warm cot had my name written all over it. I got up stumbling out of the alley and straight towards the church.

"Oh, now that's just pathetic," Some guy sneered as I weaved past him and his girlfriend.

"So is that thing you call a penis," I snarled. "Hey, honey, you want a real man, you give me a call."

"What did you say?" The guy growled stopping and turning around. "You wanna say that again?"

"Oh, sweetheart," I scoffed looking at the girl, "Not only does he have a small dick, he's stupid too. Where'd you find him?"

The guy lunged in seconds and instead of jumping out of the way I let him connect, punching me hard in the jaw. He split my lip and blood loomed to the surface as I ducked back and then kicked him as hard as I could in the stomach. The air went whooshing out as the guy crumbled to his knees. I moved around and then kicked him in the back before kicking him in the side again and again.

"_Aiden Winchester!" _

I paused mid-kick and pivoted on my heel towards the face I thought I'd never hear again. My heart jumped into my throat as I took in Dean's appearance. He wasn't my twenty-nine year old brother standing in front of me, no he was nineteen and glaring at me with obvious disapproval written all over his face. If Dean was nineteen that put me at about twelve years old.

"_You know better than to use your training on civilians, runt," Dean reproached._

"Dee?" I whispered.

"_That's all you have to say?" Dean demanded. "You left some kid hospitalized! Four broken ribs."_

"He started it," I protested. My voice didn't sound right either. It was higher pitched and a little more panicked then I remembered ever being. Then again faced with Dean's anger wasn't something you ever really wanted. Especially when you fucked up like breaking four ribs from a kid who just tried to steal money from you.

"_Aiden," Dean growled._

"You don't understand," I whispered.

"_It doesn't matter!" Dean barked_.

Then he was looking behind me, _"Aiden, run!"_

I didn't hesitate as my body reacted running away as fast as I could. As sirens erupted in the normal quiet City night I ran ducking around the corner and then walked leisurely down the block thankfully it was the block where the church was. I walked through the basement and took the one of the corner cots.

_Watching Hailey walk out of the bathroom left an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Actually what really made my stomach turn was the look that Dean leveled at me as the door shut behind me. _

"_What the hell were you thinking?" Dean demanded._

"_I was thinking that I was handcuffed to a towel rack!" I growled._

"_You're doing drugs?" Dean sneered. "Are you fucking kidding me, Aiden?"_

"_You don't understand," I muttered._

"_Understand what?" Dean snapped. "The fact that you're transferring and hiding your pain by doing coke? After everything we've ever been through. You know what happens if you hunt when you're high. You're putting your life, our lives in danger, Aiden. You wanna have our blood on your hands when you start fucking hallucinating and accidently shooting one of us?"_

"_That's not going to happen," I cried._

"_Did you not see what you just did to your sister?" Dean shouted._

"_She hit me too!" I protested._

"_She's terrified of you," Dean barked. "She defended herself because you came at her with a belt. You were going to belt her?"_

"_I wasn't thinking," I whispered._

"_When have you been thinking?" Dean hissed. "You start doing drugs and then when your sister flushes them down the toilet you retaliate. We don't hurt each other, Aiden. We spar we don't try to beat the shit out of each other."_

"_She took what's mine," I mumbled._

"_No, she was trying to help you," Dean retorted. "You're not some drug addict, Aiden and you're never going to do this again."_

"_You can't just tell me what I can or can not do, Dean!" I retorted hotly._

"_Wanna try that again, buddy boy?" Dean raised a brow. _

_I glared at him not backing down. It was my body I could do what I wanted, whenever I wanted. Suddenly Dean moved in a blur uncuffing my hands before shoving me forcefully into the shower. _

"_Dean, no!" I protested attempting to move out of the shower when Dean smacked me upside the head before shoving me back in._

_Dean turned the knob and suddenly ice cold water rained down on my head. I let out a shriek and fought to get out but Dean kept me in the shower. My teeth started to chatter as the cold water soaked my clothes._

"_This isn't happening again," Dean growled over my shrieks, "You understand me?"_

"_Dean, please!" I pleaded. "It's cold. It's really, really cold."_

"_Do. You. Understand. Me?" Dean barked, ignoring my protests. "I will not let you do this to yourself. You're not going to be taking this shit ever again."_

"_It hurt too much," I sobbed._

"_This doesn't make it better, Aiden, it just doesn't!" Dean yelled. "You think toking up and making it so you're high as fuck will make you feel better? That it will fix all your problems. Dad is dead, Aiden! And what you're doing is hiding from it. It isn't going to get better if you continue to run from your problems."_

"_It isn't about that," I whimpered._

"_Oh?" Dean sneered. "Really? Then what is it about, Aiden?"_

"_I'm sorry," I sniffled._

_Dean pulled me from the shower after turning it off. He grabbed a towel and began to dry off my arms and hair roughly as I tried to squirm away. I stared at the ground as I shivered violently to myself. Dean dropped the towel on my lap as he grabbed my chin bringing my eyes level with his. _

"_There's no excuse for drugs, Aiden," Dean told me firmly._

"_I'm sorry," I sobbed._

"_Everything's going to be alright, little brother," Dean whispered as he pulled me into a hug. "I promise."_

Dean was wrong nothing was alright. And nothing ever would be alright not as long as Dean was in hell not as long as my siblings and I were all over the country. I had no idea where Sam was or where Hailey was. Not that I wanted them to see me like this, all strung out like some junkie, living in church basements, stealing for food and beating the crap out of people at random.

"_Aiden, I'm disappointed," Dean shook his head standing at the end of my bed. "I thought you were done with this shit."_

"I'm sorry," I whimpered. "I couldn't deal with it. You're not supposed to be in hell, Dean. You're just not."

"_And this is how you make things better, Aiden?" Dean demanded. "You make yourself feel better? Sammy and Hailey are running themselves ragged trying to find ways to save me and all you can do is find whatever drugs or alcohol you can."_

"I'm sorry," I whimpered.

"_Say something other than sorry, Aiden!" Dean shouted. "I'm in hell and all you can say is I'm sorry?"_

Dean morphed from the Dean I remembered standing in front of me a little more than two months ago to a crueler version. His normally green eyes were pitch black and he had a sinister sneer on his face as he glared down at me. His shirt was torn, his chest was ribbons but was more startling was the fact that his hands were covered in blood as he held a very sharp knife in his hand.

"_This is all your fault, Aiden!" Dean yelled. "Why aren't you trying to help me? After everything I've done for you and for this family. This is how you repay me?"_

"Dean, please," I pleaded.

"Aiden Winchester!" A feminine voice shouted.

I jerked awake that wasn't Dean. Or at least it wasn't my Dean hallucination that had been following me around for the past month.

"Oh, Aiden," The girl sat down on my cot.

"Natasha?" I whispered.

"Jesus," Natasha shook her head. "What are you on?"

"Uppers, downers, a mixed bag, really," I muttered. "Haven't had anything in a while."

"All right," Natasha rolled her eyes. "Get up, you're coming with me. You're just sticks and bones, boy, have you been taking yourself at all?"

I looked at her and she shook her head as she grabbed my arm pulling me up and dragging me towards the exit muttering under her breathe the entire way out of the church. She shoved me into a waiting car and continued to drive up towards the Upper East Side. Natasha had gotten her insurance check from the fire in her apartment that had killed Trevor. She had moved into a bigger apartment and put up even more protective measures to make sure that what happened to Trevor never happened again.

She parked her cars before walking around to the other side and grabbing my arm again as she dragged me through the apartment's lobby and into the elevator. When we got to her apartment she opened the door and shoved me through it before locking it after me.

"The bathroom's the first door on the right," Natasha said. "You're clothes are disgusting, leave them on the floor. Now go clean yourself up."

"Yes ma'am," I snarked.

Natasha glared at me before turning on her heel and walking towards the kitchen. I walked into the bathroom and stripped off my clothes as I hopped into the nice, hot water. I quickly washed myself and hung out in the hot water for a little while, savoring the fact that I wasn't freezing. I grabbed a towel and rubbed myself dry before wrapping it around my waist. The clothes that were on the floor before were gone and replaced with a clean pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, and boxer shorts.

I changed into them happy for some warm, dry clothes as I trekked out to where Natasha had disappeared. I found her with her back turned humming as she cooked a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. I sat down on one of the counter bar stools where a glass of water waited for me.

"How'd you know where to find me?" I asked.

"Clairvoyant, remember?" Natasha replied. "I know where everyone is. Hailey's in upstate New York, Sam is moving all over the place."

"Are they okay?" I questioned.

"Doing as well as you," Natasha shrugged.

"That's really comforting, Taz," I muttered.

"What do you expect, Aiden?" Natasha snapped, turning to face me with a hand on her hip and an eyebrow raised.

"You're angry," I sighed.

"Damn straight I'm angry," Natasha agreed slamming the sandwich and soup in front of me, "you're smarter than this, Aiden. And, I know it hurts but you're only avoiding the situation. Dean's in hell and no matter how many drugs you take you're not going to run away from it. Not forever."

I swallowed and avoided Natasha's steady gaze as she stared me down. I sighed as I dug into the food realizing that it was the first real meal that I had eaten in a really long time. I felt ashamed and hurt. My body throbbed from the amount of drugs making their way out of my system. My body beginning to quake from not being on drugs for about twelve hours now.

"Drink this," Natasha whispered after I had finished my soup and sandwich.

"What is it?" I looked at it.

"Something Missouri taught me," Natasha replied. "It'll help with withdrawal."

"Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"Because you're not dying in some alley way, Aiden, you're just not," Natasha huffed.

"Why do you care so much?"" I demanded.

"Because I like you," Natasha snapped. "Well, I like you when you're not like this. I like the real Aiden Winchester not this version."

I closed the distance between Natasha and myself as she looked up at me. I leaned my head down and kissed her softly. I expected her to pull away but she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me down to her level.

For the first time I saw Natasha Colson for the girl she was. She wasn't my little sister's best friend. She was twenty-one years old and she had one hell of an attitude. It was easy to see how her and Hailey got along. Her clairvoyance was both a gift and a curse, she had the uncanny ability to call you when your phone was already in your hand, you got use to it after a while. Her hazel eyes that were often more of a light green showed what she really was. Those eyes saw more than was normally possible and hide more secrets then my entire family did. She was about five ten with long light brown hair and a beautiful confident smile.

My arms wrapped around her waist and I lifted her onto counter as she pulled me closer. She grabbed my sweatshirt pulling it down my arms as one of my hands slipped under her shirt. As my tongue slipped into her mouth my hand moved further up her sides, taking the shirt she was wearing with her. She pulled away from me and slid her top off as she began to kiss me. I felt her fingers tracing random patterns on my torso as she slowly slid my shirt off to join hers on the floor.

"Bedroom," Natasha gasped. "Now."

"Yes ma'am," I grinned.

She shot me a sultry look as she slid off the counter, grabbing my hand in the process as she led the way to her bedroom. She pulled me inside as she shut the door behind me, tossing me on the bed. I grinned as I watched her pull of her jeans and shoes leaving her in a lacy bra and panty set.

She raised her eyebrow as she regarded me carefully, "You're wearing a lot more clothes than I am."

"That's true," I agreed. "What are you going to do about it?"

Natasha smirked at me before she joined me on the bed, kissing me softly. Her hands moved down landing on my zipper as she slid my jeans and boxers down my legs. I kicked them off as I spun us around so she was resting on the bed with me hovering over her as I took off my undershirt. She slid out of her bra and panties as my eyes raked over her body.

Her arms wrapped around my neck pulling me back down to her as she placed her legs around my waist. As waves of pleasure flowed through me, I realized and vaguely so that this was the best I had felt in months.

Dean and Natasha were right by using drugs I was taking the coward's way out. I resolved to do anything possible to get Dean out of his deal. I just hoped I wasn't too late…


	36. Broken Sorrow

_**Author's Note: Hey all. I just wanted to drop in and say that the character links have been updated and the Ruby 2.0 on the show isn't portrayed by the same actress as in my story. I have her concept up. Tell me what you think. Happy Reading. Y'all rock. ~Beccatdemon13**_

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**Chapter Thirty-Six: Broken Sorrow**

"_In the ashes of my demise, I realize how much my life was built on lies."_

**Hailey's Point of View**

"Hails, what are you doing?" Darren asked. "It's cold out here."

"Thinking," I mumbled.

"Nightmares?" Darren sighed.

"You sound surprised," I shook my head. "It stops becoming a shock when it's happened every single night for the past three months."

"You should talk about it," Darren prodded.

Darren climbed through the open window and sat down next to me, against the wall. He pulled me to his side and I laid my head down on his chest. This was one of the nicer motels we stayed in. It had a patio although the only way you could get to it was through the window.

"It's the same dream over and over," I whispered. "Him covered in blood, screaming for help. Recently though it's been him doing the torturing."

"You know he would never do that," Darren soothed. "They're just nightmares, Hailey. You did witness your brother die right in front of your eyes."

"I miss him, Dare, I miss him a lot," I sniffled. "It's like a giant hole has been punched through my chest."

Darren's arms wrapped around my torso pulling me onto his lap as I cried into his neck. His hands stroked up and down my arms and back as I cried out my pain. Nothing felt right anymore not with Dean dead. And he was just another death in a long list of people we had lost but Dean, he was different. Losing people in this life was commonplace but loosing someone like Dean was so much worse. Dean was the one who was in charge of us and always had been. The one we could count on to always have our backs and be there no matter how bad we fucked up and now he was in hell and try as I might I was starting to think there was nothing I could do to save him. And after all Dean had done for me coming to that realization hurt, a lot.

"Hailey, come on, we're going inside," Darren said.

I nodded softly crawling through the open window and tucking so that I would tumble and land back on my feet. Darren climbed in after me and shut the window after me. I turned on my heel as Darren opened his arms enfolding me in his grasp. He tilted my chin up and kissed me softly. My hands tangled in the back of his sweatshirt as the kiss deepened as he began to walk forward causing me to walk backwards until the back of my knees hit the bed causing me to fall onto the bed as Darren laid on top of me with his hands on either side of my head.

"Oh Darren," I groaned as he pulled away and began nibbling at my neck as one of his hands went underneath my tee-shirt and played with the lacy fabric of my bra. I arched up as a wayward finger brushed against my nipple. My breathing turned ragged as Darren found the hollow of my neck as my shirt began to ride up.

When my phone began to ring I huffed rolling us over so that Darren was pinned under me as I answered my cell phone.

"Taz," I groaned.

"Look, you can make out with your boyfriend later, Hailey, this is important," Natasha snapped.

"Whoa, who pissed in your Cheerios?" I gaped.

"Sam's with a demon," Natasha sighed.

"Taz, what exactly do you mean by that?" I demanded. "Demons have him cornered?"

"No," Natasha corrected. "It's Ruby. And, Hails, what she's teaching Sam it isn't good."

"What do you mean?" I hissed.

"You know how Azazel gave your brother abilities?" Natasha asked, "Well there's only one way to strengthen them."

"You're joking," I grimaced.

"I'm sorry, Hails," Natasha sighed.

"Don't be," I snarled. "This is all on him."

"None of you have been in the right mind since Dean died," Natasha soothed. "It's only been three and a half months."

"I know how long it's been," I warned.

"Just be careful, Hailey," Natasha said.

"Where is he?" I demanded.

"Richmond, Virginia," Natasha answered.

"I'll talk to you later," I stated disconnecting the phone line.

"Where do you think you're going?" Darren asked.

"Out," I stated as I climbed off of Darren and opened the closet where a duffel bag was ready and waiting.

"Out where?" Darren asked.

"The door for starters," I muttered.

"Cut the crap, Hailey," Darren fumed. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Sam," I replied.

"Why?" Darren questioned. "He's okay, right?"

"Sam's with Ruby," I growled. "And what they're doing isn't good."

"Hailey, wait a second, and think about this," Darren pleaded as he raced behind me and down the stairs and towards the parking lot where three motorcycles and a mustang was parked in two spots. I saw Lucy and Abby, who were already waiting for me and turned in my direction as I came storming up.

"What's up?" Lucy asked.

"Why are you guys out here?" Darren asked.

"We felt that things weren't right so we came down here," Abby shrugged. "So, what gives, Hails?"

"It's s Sam, he's with Ruby," I snarled.

"Let's go," Abby stated.

We all hopped on the bikes at the same time. Abby's was red and Lucy's was orange. We floored out of the motel room unsurprised when the mustang quickly fell behind us and was coming up fast. I waved Lucy and Abby ahead as I coasted alongside the mustang.

"Hey, Darren," I shouted over the roar of my motorcycle and the car.

"What do you wanna do, Hails?" Darren asked.

"You go on ahead," I said. "We'll meet you at the New York cabin," I said. "That okay?"

"Yeah, of course," Darren grinned. "Stay safe, alright?"

"You know it," I smirked.

Darren nodded before driving off and after saying some quick words to both Abby and Lucy he was off driving towards New York. I hit the gas and floored it so that I was driving along side both Abby and Lucy again. It wasn't that much of a drive between North Carolina and Virginia. It was three hours and some change before we pulled up at the motel room that Sam was staying at.

I barely glanced at the impala, knowing she looked as pristine as ever as I crept to Sam's motel room. Abby and Lucy were on either side of me and we nodded to one another before I raised my hand and pushed it forward, a gust of wind came and knocked the door hard against the wall as Abby, Lucy, and I walked inside.

"What are you doing here?" Ruby snapped.

I glared at her before twisting my hand, I heard the sickening crack of bone as the knife tumbled out of her hand; I then tilted my head sending her soaring smack into the wall.

"Where's my brother, bitch?"

"Hailey?" Sam gasped. "What the hell are you doing?"

"No, Sam," I corrected lightly turning to face my older brother. "The real question is what the hell are _you_ doing?"

"I don't know what you mean," Sam snorted. "Put her down, Hailey, now."

"What is going on, Sam?" I growled.

"It doesn't matter!" Sam fumed.

I recoiled before I looked at him, "Who are you?" I demanded. "She's a demon, Sam. We want them dead, they want us dead!"

"It's not like that, Hailey!" Sam retorted. "She's not like that. Last I checked she wanted to help you once upon a time."

"Yeah, that's what she wants," I snarked. "To help us. Or maybe she wants you to strengthen your demon connection."

"Shut up," Sam ordered harshly.

"What's the matter, Sammy?" I muttered. "You didn't want anyone to learn your dirty little secret."

"Hailey, I don't have to explain my actions to you," Sam reprimanded.

"You're drinking blood, Sam!" I shouted. "A demon's blood and for what?"

"To kill Lilith," Sam snapped. "I'm getting strong enough to kill Lilith."

"Because that falls on you," I rolled my eyes.

"Damn straight it falls on me," Sam said. "Dean left me in charge."

"Bang up job you're doing there, Sammy," I sighed. "Aiden's back on drugs and you ditched the both of us the first chance you got. Some leadership skills you have."

"Let her go, Hailey Jade," Sam barked.

"Make. Me." I snarled.

"Hailey," Lucy whispered.

"Luce," Abby shook her head. "Just let them be."

"Hailey, I swear to god…"

"Shut the fuck up, Sam," I interrupted. "You're associating with a demon and for what? Revenge? Where did revenge get Dad? Where's Dean now? Dean said he didn't want her teaching you anything and now that he's out of the picture you can do whatever the fuck you want to? Just because you're the big man all of a sudden."

"You're one to talk," Sam retorted. "What happened to no running away?"

"There's a difference between running and revenge, Sam," I shook my head. "And, my brother use to be able to see that."

Sam and I glared irately at each other as we circled around each other. We both knew that the only way Ruby was getting down was if I let her down and that wasn't happening. I stopped circling and sank into a defensive position and waited for Sam to make his move. Some things would never change, whenever Sam and I had to spar he started with the typical right hook to my face. I ducked past it knowing by the very glint in his eye that this time wasn't for shits and giggles or because Dean told us to we were both out for blood and everyone in the room knew it.

As I ducked past the fist my hands latched around his arm pulling him in the direction the punch was going allowing his own momentum to throw him over my shoulder. He landed with a sickening thud and skidded a couple of feet away from me. When he scrambled up he came at me with a barrage of kicks and punches. He got me a couple of times before a backhand slammed me to the ground, air whooshed out of my lungs but Sam still moved kicking me in the side twice before sending another punch at my face. How I ducked away I wouldn't know. I moved and kicked back sending him away from me. I got unsteadily to my feet and Sam shoved me once more.

I was sailing through the air and I landed on the glass table that was in the middle of the motel room. The table broke around me sending sharp shards of glass into my skin all over my body. I let out a small shriek as I struggled to get away from glass.. Sam stood panting over me, glaring at me malevolently. My hands were flailing, which was why I wasn't surprised when a lamp from one of the nightstands went flying in Sam's direction.

"Oh, my god," Lucy gasped. "Hailey!"

I held up a shaky hand as Lucy rushed to help me to my feet. I climbed up unsteadily wincing as my body began to throb in stereo with my heart. I didn't know what hurt more the fact that Sam trusted some demon over family, my body, or the way Sam's betrayal cut to the quick far deeper than the glass had managed to go. Suddenly, it looked like I had my brother back as realization hit him like a ton of bricks. His expression went from bloodthirsty to remorsefully to concerned as both Abby and Lucy helped me up, supporting me so that I was upright between the two of them. Lucy, Abby, and I walked out of the motel room and past the impala walking towards a grassy area. Abby laid me gently on the grass, wincing as I moaned again.

"Hailey!" Sam called.

"Stay away from her, Sam!" Lucy retorted. "You've done enough."

I vaguely remembered Abby and Sam fighting as Lucy frantically dialed Darren before I passed out. When I woke up I recognized my surroundings. I felt the bed I was on shift as I was confronted with concerned silver eyes hovering over me.

"Take it easy, Hails," Darren whispered.

"Dare?" I murmured. "Where am I?"

"New York."

"What happened?" I groaned.

"You're brother thought you needed an introduction to a glass coffee table," Darren stated. "You guys had one hell of a fight. You've been sleeping on and off for the past couple days."

I nodded to myself as I flipped over the covers and climbing out o bed and standing straight up. I winced as some of the deeper cuts were pulled as I moved around. I shook my head as I moved down the stairs and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a bowl and one of the boxes of cereal. I poured some milk and a little bit of sugar onto the cereal as I took a big spoonful and shoveled it into my mouth The cereal was gone faster than I expected as I placed the bowl in the sink and filled it with water.

"Oh, god, Hailey," A voice whispered.

"What are you doing here, Sam?" I mumbled not turning to face him as I began to clean the dishes in the sink.

"You wanted me to man up, well here I am," Sam replied. "Dean left me in charge and it's about time I start acting like it. Hailey, I'm sorry about our fight."

"You threw me into a table," I snapped as I spun around. "That's a little more than fighting, Sam."

"Hailey, I promise it will never happen again," Sam pleaded. "And if it makes you feel any better you did connect when you threw that lamp at me."

"Good," I smirked. "You deserved it."

"We okay?" Sam prodded.

"Yeah, Sammy," I sighed. "If you ever do it again. I'll kill you, though."

"I'd like to see you try," Sam snarked.

"HELLO?"

"Aiden?" I gasped running out of the kitchen and into the foyer leaping into Aiden's outstretched arms.

"Hey, kid," Aiden rasped.

"Aiden," Sam whispered.

Aiden didn't let me go as Sam tossed his arms over the two of us. I adjusted my grip so that I was hugging Sam as well as Dean. For the first time in months I felt safe and complete. Not as complete as I'd feel if Dean was here but it felt good nonetheless. We had all made a mistake by going off my ourselves. We had lost a brother, another authority figure but that didn't mean we had to lose each other too. We needed each other more than ever and now we'd find a way to get Dean out of hell, together.

That night the cabin was filled with more people than I remembered in a long time. Lucy, Abby, Natasha, and I were making dinner while all the guys caught up. Dinner was a fairly quiet, nice affair. Aiden ate more than enough for everyone. Not that I was complaining he was far skinnier than I ever remember him being; he was always a bit on the lanky side. Natasha had told me that she found him in an alley withdrawing from all sorts of things and once he had cleaned himself up they had hooked up. It wasn't all that surprising, really. They had been dancing around each other for as long as I could remember.

He seemed healthier now just slightly skinnier than normal. He seemed happy talking about Natasha talking about her like I'd never heard him talk about a girl before. Darren and the girls volunteered to clean up as Sam, Aiden, and I got reacquainted.

"What the hell happened to you?" Aiden asked.

"Got thrown into a glass table," I shrugged.

"What?" Aiden demanded.

"Don't worry about it, Aiden," I sighed. "What about you with needle marks all over you?"

"I went through a little rough patch," Aiden muttered. "I'm fine."

"Okay, so we all had our little rough patches," Sam agreed. "But the fact remains that Dean's in hell and Lilith is still breathing."

"What do you suppose we do about that, Sam?" I questioned.

"We find her and kill her," Sam stated.

"And what about Dean?" Aiden replied.

"We've tried everything," Sam sighed. "Opening the Devil's gate, the crossroad demons, anything. No one has enough juice to pull someone out."

"Then what are we going to do?" I grumbled.

"We're going to do what Dad and Dean raised us to do," Sam snapped. "We're going to kill everything evil between here and Lilith."

"You sound like you already have a case," Aiden said.

"Yeah, Pontiac, Illinois," Sam said.

"What about it?" I questioned.

"I've been after a couple of demons, they were in Texas and then they've been running ever since."

"How do you know that they're in Pontiac?" Aiden questioned.

"I just do, alright?" Sam retorted. "And, I wanna leave as fast as possible. Ten minutes, guys."

"Who put redbull in his wheaties?" Aiden mumbled as he followed me upstairs to help me pack.

I shook my head, shrugging as I pushed open my door throwing random clothes into the duffel as Aiden grabbed my weapons duffel and began to walk back down the stairs. Lucy, Abby, and Darren were in the foyer waiting for us and talking to Sam about the demons.

"Be careful, baby," Darren whispered kissing me softly.

I kissed him back and burrowed into his side, hugging him tightly as Natasha and Aiden shared a similar goodbye.

"Stay safe," Darren said.

"You know it," I grinned.

"Bye, Hails," Abby said.

"Bye Abs," I said hugging her before looking over to Lucy, "See you, Luce."

"Be careful," Lucy whispered hugging me tightly.

"Bye, Hailey," Natasha said as I hugged her as well.

"Bye Natasha," I replied.

With goodbyes taken care of I shrugged my duffel bag up to rest higher on my shoulder as I followed my brothers out of the cabin. I tossed my bag into the trunk as I climbed into the impala relieved to find that nothing had changed except for the fact that there was now an ipod dock attached to her. Aiden climbed into the passenger seat and noticed the ipod about the same time I did.

"You better hope Dean never comes back," Aiden shook his head.

"Why's that?" Sam frowned.

"He'll kill you for putting an ipod in here," Aiden laughed.

"Shut up, Aiden," Sam grumbled starting the car up and driving towards Illinois.

Aiden busted out laughing as Sam sped up hitting the interstate in a matter of minutes. It took nearly fourteen hours to get to Pontiac but Sam managed to drive it straight through only stopping a couple of times for food and fuel for the car. Not to mention with my brothers being as tall as they were we had to stop to stretch every so often. I grabbed some of the bags as Aiden went to grab keys for the motel room. He tossed Sam one of them. It was rooms 207 and 209 of the Astoria Motel, rooms that were right across from one another.

After Aiden and I had laid down the traps, charms, and salt lines, I went strolling over to Sam's room and frowned almost immediately. Sitting at the table looking at me with a smirk on her face was Ruby.

"What the fuck is she doing here, Sammy?" I demanded.

"Hails, let it go," Sam ordered.

"Yeah, Hailey, I just want to be friends," Ruby grinned.

"Shove it where the sun don't shine, hell bitch," I snarled.

"Hailey!" Sam reproached. "Can you come here a second?"

I wasn't stupid I knew that what Sam had just said was one of the preferred orders-disguised-as-questions that the Winchester men absolutely loved to drop on me. I straightened up glaring sharply over the room divider to the small kitchenette where Sam was standing an expectant expression on his face.

"Better do what big brother says, Hails," Ruby smirked. "Wouldn't wanna be in trouble now would you?"

Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus…" I snarled.

"_Hailey Jade!"_ Sam barked.

I moved one step forward bristling when Sam moved out of the kitchenette, grabbed my arm and pulled me bodily out of the room like some errant child throwing a tantrum for not getting the toy they wanted in a department store. He didn't stop until we were back in the room I shared with Aiden. Sam released his vice like grip as he shoved me bodily into the chair leveling me with a reprimanding stare.

"What?" I mumbled.

"When I tell you to do something, Hailey, I expect you to do it," Sam growled. "And to show me the same respect you would show Dad or Dean. They wouldn't put up with this attitude and I won't either."

"She's a demon, Sam," I retorted hotly, "Who is playing you for a chump."

"I can take care of myself, Hailey," Sam warned. "And I'm not going to have this conversation with you every single time she's here."

"Sam…"

"You don't have to like her, you don't even have to acknowledge her existence but she is helping us find Lilith and that is what is important," Sam interrupted. "So, you and Ruby bickering ever second stops now, do you hear me?"

I crossed my arms and adverted my gaze. This wasn't something I ever thought would happen. Not only was I being lectured but I was being lectured on my manners concerning demons. Apparently demons or at least 'helpful' demons deserved my courtesy. I huffed and rolled my eyes this was just unbelievable.

"Hailey," Sam prodded.

"Yes, Sam, I understand," I muttered. Knowing that the aforementioned sentence was the only thing I could say to get Sam to stop with the lecturing already.

I had forgotten how good at lecturing Sam was, I guess it was a lawyer thing and it was something I really should've remember after all once Sam got old enough it was normally both Sam and Dean who raised us. Sam was the one who had cared about school. Dean and Dad's only concern when it came to school was that we kept our noses clean and under the radar, any breach of those two rules were dealt with seriously mostly because it meant most of the time we had to move again depending on what it is we did. Most of the time it was fighting it was the one thing that gave away the fact that we weren't normal. Most eight-year-old children, a girl no less can defend herself against a bully five years older than her and twice her age. That one was my fault, the fact that Aiden, Sam, and Dean beat him and his friends up after wasn't so much. There was also the time that Aiden was convinced his geometry teacher was possessed. Trying to explain how an eleven year old knew Latin had to be rather difficult.

"Did I miss something?" Aiden asked. He had plastic take out bags clutched in his hands as he eyed Sam and me critically.

"Nope," Sam said. "Right, Hailey?"

"Yeah, nothing," I shook my head and dug into one of the bags that were offered to me.

Sam left soon after that closing our door behind him as he walked across the hallway. Aiden got up and made sure the door was bolted before he looked at me an unreadable expression darting across his features.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You're hiding something from me," Aiden noted. "I'd like to know what it is. Sam was a bit on the quiet side when it came to what he had been doing for the past three months."

"You remember Ruby?" I scoffed.

"You're kidding," Aiden demanded.

"No," I shook my head. "Stupid bitch is probably in there with him right now."

"I can't believe this," Aiden shook his head.

"She did something," I mumbled. "She has him so snowed that he was lecturing me on how I was treating her. She's a demon, this goes against everything Dean or dad ever taught us."

Aiden shook his head again moving towards the bed. He called over his shoulder, "Get some sleep, Hay, we're waking up early tomorrow."

"You can pretend this doesn't bother you all you want to, Aiden," I muttered as I crawled into my own bed. "But I know it does."

"He has to have a good reason," Aiden disagreed.

"Yeah, revenge," I sighed.

"Like we haven't done that one before," Aiden scoffed. "Night, Hay."

"Night Aiden."

I rolled over and curled under the covers trying to ignore the feeling of foreboding on the horizon. Something big was coming and it was coming fast.


	37. Lazarus Rising

_**Author's Note: So, this chapter was supposed to be posted three days ago but there were so many blocks in the way. First I had this huge paper for Western Civ. Then I was hospitalized early yesterday night. But, I'm back and here it is. Happy Reading and make sure to tell me what you think! ~Beccatdemon13**_

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**_**Chapter Thirty-Seven: Lazarus Rising**

"_There are two types of secrets: the kind that you want to keep in, and the kind you don't dare let out__."_

**Dean's Point of View**

Blood was everywhere, coating me like a second skin. It was to my understanding that hell was different for everyone. For me it was nothing but pain and inflicting pain. I was able to get off the rack if I put souls on. The old me never would've considered hurting other people to save myself, but this version of me was different. A lot could happen in a small amount of time. This me understood how torturing could be a necessity, how it was nice to be the one inflicting pain instead of being tormented.

Time passed differently here, in ways it flew by faster than I ever thought was possible. In other ways it passed by so slowly that every second seemed like an eternity had passed. My only sanctuary were my dreams. I dreamt that my family were okay that they were surviving, thriving without me there.

Suddenly there was a sharp pulling motion and I was laying down, it was pitch black, which was my first clue that wherever I was it wasn't hell. Hell was dark, sure but it was light enough to see exactly what was going on. To see the hurt I was inflicting and the hurt that was being inflicted on me.

My body thrummed anxiously as I looked around unable to see anything, except to know somewhere deep down inside that I was trapped in a small, enclosed space, a wooden coffin? I flicked a lighter that was in my hand and looked around. Yup, definitely a coffin, I noted with increasing dread. The smell of dirt was overwhelming as I coughed and gasped weakly. What the hell was going on?

"Help!" I cried my voice was so hoarse it hurt to scream but I continued to do so, "Help!"

I pounded on the wood above my face, closing my eyes when dirt dropped on top of me. I continued to pound gasping as the wood splintered and the dirt rushed in. It took nearly forever to get out of the shallow grave, as my hands finally scraped against the surface I shoved the rest of my battered body through gasping for breathe. I turned over panting and trembling grateful that I was alive, this wasn't hell, and most importantly, I was out of that god-forsaken grave.

After a few moments I stood on shaky legs looking around in the glaring sunlight. There was a crude headstone that marked my grave and in a perfect circle were a lot of dead trees, lying on the ground as if they had all been felled at once. I shuddered as I began to walk, making my way, hopefully towards some other form of life. The heat made the walk so much harder, with every step my thirst grew as heat seemed to rise visibly from the concrete. I saw, in the distance an abandoned gas station and continued to move until I was right in front of the station, pounding on the door.

"Hello?" I shouted.

When there was no answer I took my jacket untying it around my waist and rolling it over my right hand as I broke the glass on the door. I reached through the new hole opening the door. I grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and chugged it down, gasping. As I finished my water bottle I looked at a stray newspaper.

"Thursday, September 18th," I read. "September?"

It had been only four months. I shook my head as I wandered off in search of a bathroom. I washed my face in the dingy sink, looking up and stared at my reflection. I frowned as I stepped away and pulled my shirt up to expose my chest. It was perfectly fine. Almost too fine, there were no scars from hunts gone awry. There wasn't even the deep scar from when a bullet wound had to be cauterized when I was eighteen years old. I shuddered as I felt the hell hounds claws and teeth ripping into my skin cutting down to bone. I then pulled my tee shirt up so I could see my left shoulder, where I distinctly remember my collarbone breaking. In it's lace was a large, raw, handprint that was branded on my skin.

I stepped away from the mirror and grabbed a plastic bag filling it with a couple candy bars, water, and a Busty Asian Beauties magazine just so that I'd have the bare essentials. I went up to the counter and hit the button to make the cash draw pop out. I began to gather the cash, flinching when the TV suddenly turns on leaving only static in its wake. I shut it off; only to have the radio to my right turn on and it was white noise. I frowned as I moved back to the shelves as I grabbed a carton of salt, opening it and beginning to pour it along the windowsill. A high-pitched single tone began and I clutched my left ear as I continued to pour salt on the window. The high-pitched noise continued to gain volume as I sank to the ground, groaning in pain. Suddenly every window shattered and I curled up trying to protect myself against the sharp shards of falling glass. When the noise stopped I stood up and looked around cautiously, this place was wrecked. I eyed a phone booth across the way and grabbed my bag, the money and left before anything else could explode.

I shut the phone booth's door as I dialed Sam's number. I heard the alert tone saying the number had been disconnected. I frowned as I got the exact same messages from both Hailey and Aiden's phones. Ignoring the sudden pit in my stomach I dialed another familiar number huffing out a breath when it actually went through.

"Yeah?" Bobby growled.

"Bobby," I rasped.

"Yeah?" Bobby repeated.

Well, he certainly sounded friendly.

"It's me," I replied.

"Who's 'me'?" Bobby growled.

"Dean," I said.

A click of the receiver greeted me after that. I rolled my eyes and dialed again.

"Who is this?" Bobby demanded.

"Bobby, please, listen to me," I pleaded.

"This isn't funny," Bobby hissed. "Call again, and I'll kill you."

He hung up again and I glowered at the phone. That was some welcome home phone call. My eyes roamed the terrain before spotting an old, beat to hell white car parked outside. I grinned as I walked over throwing open the door and hotwiring the car. I didn't exactly know where I was but I could find Bobby's house blindfolded.

The drive felt like it took forever when in reality it only took a couple of hours as I floored it down the interstate. I parked further in the lot than I normally would and walked up, pounding on the door. Bobby threw it open shooting me a look I could only describe as bewildered.

"Surprise?" I grinned.

"I…" Bobby stuttered. "I…don't?"

"Yeah, me neither," I replied, honestly, "But here I am."

I entered the house looking at Bobby suspiciously. Suddenly, Bobby lunged forward silver knife t the ready. I jumped back twisting his arm to get the knife way from me. Bobby broke the grip quickly and backhanded me quickly across the face.

"Bobby!" I protested. "It's me!"

"My ass!" Bobby roared.

I moved behind a chair shoving it between us as I held a hand out, "Whoa, whoa, wait! Your name is Robert Steven Singer. You became a hunter after your wife got possessed, and…you're the closest thing I have to a father. Bobby, please, it's me!"

Bobby lowered the knife and stepped forward slowly. Just when I thought he finally believed me the once friendly grip on my shoulder tightens as Bobby slashed down with the knife. I ducked out of the way grabbing the blade and tearing it away from him.

"I am not a shapeshifter!" I snapped.

"Then you're a Revenant!" Bobby fired back.

I shoved Bobby way and held the knife out in front of me.

"All right, if I were either, could I do this?" I said laying the blade on my arm. "With a silver knife.

I cut quickly and blood welled to the surface as my eyes met Bobby's.

"Dean?" Bobby whispered.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," I muttered.

I walked forward looking at Bobby, pleading with him to believe me. When he did he pulled me into a tight hug that I returned with enthusiasm, relief all over my face.

"It's…it's good to see you, boy," Bobby grinned.

"Yeah, you too," I sighed.

"But, how did you bust out?" Bobby asked.

"I don't know," I answered. "I just, uh, I just woke up in pine box…"

Cold water came flying at me going into my mouth and dripping onto my shirt, "I'm not a demon either, you know."

"Sorry," Bobby winced, "Can't be too careful."

Bobby snagged me a towel as we walked further into the house. I wiped my face as we continued to walk.

"But, that doesn't make lick of sense," Bobby mused.

"Yeah," I frowned. "Yeah, you're preaching to the choir."

"Dean, you're chest was ribbons, your insides were slop and you've been buried four months," Bobby sighed. "Even if you could slip out of hell and back into your meat suit."

"I know, I should look a Thriller video reject," I huffed.

"What do you remember?" Bobby asked.

"Not much, I remember I was a Hellhound's chew toy, and then…lights out," I shrugged. "Then I come to six feet under, and that was it. So, uh, none of their numbers re working, Bobby. They're uh... they're not…"

"Oh, no they're alive, as far as I know," Bobby said.

"Good," I sighed then thought about what he said, "Wait, what do you mean, as far as you know?"

"I haven't talked to them in months," Bobby confessed.

"You're kidding," I growled. "You just let them go off by themselves."

"They were dead set on it."

"Bobby, you should've been looking out for them," I mumbled. "Did they at least go together?"

"No," Bobby answered.

"Terrific," I grumbled.

"Hey, I tried," Bobby retorted. "These last months haven't been exactly easy, you know. For them or me, we had to bury you."

"Why did you bury me, anyway?" I wondered.

"I wanted you salted and burned," Bobby said. "Usual drill. But, when I mentioned it they damn near bit my head off."

"Well, I'm glad they won that one," I replied.

"Sam said you'd need a body when he got you back home somehow," Bobby sighed. "That's about all he said."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He was quiet, real quiet," Bobby shrugged. "They all were and then they just took off. Wouldn't return any of my phone calls. I tried to find him but those boys and Hailey didn't wanna be found."

"Oh, damnit, Sammy," I growled.

"What?" Bobby asked.

"Oh, he got me home okay," I nodded. "But whatever he did, it is bad mojo."

"What makes you so sure?" Bobby questioned.

"You should've seen the grave site," I stated. "It was like nuke went off. And then there was this…this force, this presence, I don't know, but it, it blew past me at fill-up joint. And then there's this."

I shrugged off my jacket and rolled up my sleeve to show Bobby the brand. Bobby stood up looking completely aghast, "What in the hell?"

"It's like a demon just yanked me out," I shrugged. "Or rode me out."

"But why?" Bobby questioned.

"To hold up their end of the bargain," I muttered.

"You think Sam made a deal?" Bobby sighed.

"No, it could've been Hailey or Aiden too," I said. "It's what I would've done for them."

"Well, what are we going to do?" Bobby said.

"We find them, that's what," I answered.

I heard Bobby's indignant huff behind me as I grabbed his phone dialing the phone company's number. No matter how many phones we had gone through we always used one specific company so that we'd be able to find one another again.

"Yeah, hi, I have cell phone account with you guys, and uh, I lost my phone," I said the woman who was helping me. "I was wondering if you'd turn the GPS on for me? The name's Wedge Antilles. Social is 2-4-7-4. Thank you."

"How'd you know he'd use that name?" Bobby wondered.

"You kiddin?" I scoffed. "What don't I know about that kid? Huh."

"What?" Bobby asked.

"Sam's in Pontiac, Illinois," I stated.

"Right near where you were planted," Bobby said.

"Right where I popped up, hell of coincidence don't you think?" I wondered.

"Let's go," Bobby said.

He didn't have to tell me twice as I got up and followed Bobby to his old beat up mustang and drove in the direction of Illinois

**Hailey's Point of View**

"Would you do me a favor, skank, and stop parading around in your underwear?"

"If you got it flaunt it, sweetheart," Ruby retorted.

What do you have to flaunt?" I scoffed. " A rotting corpse? Hot. I bet that really gets the necrophiliacs going, doesn't it, Rubes?"

"Just because you're jealous this body actually has tits…" Ruby began.

"Finish that sentence and coma girl's gonna get a nose job free of charge," I hissed.

"Guys!" Sam shouted. "Enough. Hails, if you can't wait for the pizza in here without picking a fight go back to the room."

"God damn it, Sam," I fumed. "It's one thing to actually trust her but do you really have to side with your demon fuck buddy every single time we argue?"

"Hailey," Sam growled. "I'm not going to ask you again. Go."

"Whatever, Sammy," I rolled my eyes. "Tell the guy to deliver the pizza to my room. I need a break from all this demonic camaraderie."

"Hailey," Sam hissed.

"I'm going, I'm going," I muttered. "Way to get your panties in wad."

I slammed Sam's door behind me as I stalked through the room I shared with Aiden. He looked up from his laptop and raised an eyebrow at me.

"What?" I mumbled.

"Oh, nothing," Aiden snickered. "I just haven't seen you radiate this much teen angst in ages. I think the last time was when Dean refused to let you get that lacy bra you wanted. Said it didn't need to be fancy because no one would be seeing it."

"Shut up, Aiden," I growled.

"Seriously, Hay, she riles you up on purpose and you let her get to you," Aiden sighed.

"She doesn't belong here, Aiden," I hissed." You know that."

"Yeah, but Sam is convinced that we need her help and he's the one in charge," Aiden shrugged.

"So, you're just going to fall into line?" I demanded. "Just like that?"

"Yeah, Hay, just like that," Aiden retorted. "It's not like it's some new rule of something it has always been Dad, then Dean, then Sam."

I had a non-committal noise as I mentioned showering as I stormed into the bathroom locking the door behind me. I threw my towel and my change of clothes on the counter top as I waited for the water to come to temperature. I stripped out of my sweats groaning as my mind continued to seethe without my approval. It was just a frustrating situation, we had never had problems with finding demons in the past, hell some came gunning right for us, I didn't see why all of a sudden we needed another demons help.

I stepped in the hot water breathing out a sigh of relief, no matter how bad things got at least a shower always seemed to make things better. That and imagining myself running Ruby through with that special knife of hers.

"Hay, I'm going to check if the pizza is here!" Aiden shouted from the other side of the door, "Make sure you don't use up all the hot water, alright?"

"Yeah!" I responded.

**Sam's Point of View**

It drove me absolutely nuts that Ruby and Hailey continued to fight like cats and dogs, exchanging digs designed to antagonize the other into starting a fight, which really was the exact last thing I needed. I took a shower in the time it took to get the pizza. Ruby was staking out the room. Say what you will about women but in all my experience with women none of them ever had a problem eating. Hell, Hailey, could eat Dean under the table on some occasions and that was saying something.

"So, where is it?" I heard Ruby demand as the door swung open after someone knocked on it.

"Where's what?" Someone asked.

"The pizza," Ruby retorted angrily. "That takes two guys to deliver?"

"I think we have the wrong room," The person said again.

I frowned recognizing that voice from somewhere. I stepped out of the bathroom and into the living room/ bed area and my jaw fell to the floor, standing in front of me was the very person I had resigned myself to never seeing again.

"Hiya, Sammy," 'Dean' whispered

His voice was low, quiet even, like trying not to startle me. I looked to the other person in the hallway. Bobby stood eyeing me in a way that I couldn't analyze. As 'Dean' stepped into the room pushing by Ruby, who was doing an awesome job at playing clueless, I lunged. Ruby screamed in shock as 'Dean' blocked my attack and Bobby pulled me off gripping me tightly around the shoulders.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"Like you didn't do this?" 'Dean' bit back.

"Do what?" I screamed.

"Enough," Bobby ordered shaking me sharply, "It's him, Sam. I've been through this already it's really him."

"What…?" I whispered as the fight rushed out of my body as I gaped at my older brother standing in front of me.

Distracting us was another voice joining the fray as someone pushed the door open.

"Hey is the pizza here yet…" Aiden asked before trailing off and looking at the scene he walked in on. "Dean?"

"Hi, little brother," Dean greeted.

Dean paused staring at our little brother critically, almost making sure he was in one piece before turning back to me. "I know. I look fantastic, huh?"

Bobby's grip loosened as I walked forward, pulling Dean into a hug. He hugged me back, clutching at me as desperately as I clutched at him, tears filling my eyes. Dean was back, I didn't know how he managed to pull it off but I didn't care all that mattered was that he was back. I pulled him to arms length and just looked at him.

"So, are you two like…together?" Ruby asked.

"What?" I scoffed. "No. No. He's my brother.

"Uh, I got it…I guess," Ruby tilted her head. "I should probably go."

"Aiden," I whispered.

I glanced from Ruby to Aiden who was shaking slightly staring at Dean. His eyes were welling up with tears. He looked at me before looking back at Dean.

"It's okay, junior," Dean soothed. "It's me. Come here."

Aiden didn't need to be told twice as he rushed at Dean nearly bowling him over with his eagerness. Dean held him tightly as Aiden shook with sobs, muttering something to Dean that I couldn't exactly hear.

"Aiden, it wasn't your fault," Dean soothed. "God, kid, you eat anything since I've been gone?"

Aiden said something else and Dean scoffed pulling away to look in Aiden's eyes, "We're getting you a cheeseburger."

"We're waiting for pizza," Aiden corrected.

Dean smiled mussing Aiden's hair as he walked over to the table. Bobby shut the door after Ruby and we walked over to the table. Aiden and I sat down as both Bobby and Dean stood across from us with their arms crossed looking at us suspiciously.

"So, tell me, what'd it cost?" Dean asked.

"The girl?" I smiled. "I don't pay, Dean."

"That's not funny. Sam," Dean growled. "To bring me back. What'd it cost? Was it just your soul, or was it something worse?"

"You think I made deal?" I whispered.

"That's exactly what we think," Bobby stated.

"Well, I didn't," I shrugged.

"One of you did," Dean said moving his stern gaze to Aiden.

"I didn't do it," Aiden said.

"Don't lie to me," Dean growled staring at the both of us intently.

"We're not lying!" Aiden snapped.

"So, what now?" Dean demanded advancing towards me. "I'm off the hook and you're on, is that it? You're some demon's bitch-boy? I didn't want to be saved like this."

"Look, Dean, I wish I had done it, all right?" I retorted rising to my feet and glaring angrily at him.

"There's no other way that this could've gone down," Dean corrected snatching me up by my shirtfront. "Now tell the truth!"

"I tried everything, that's the truth," I hissed. "I tried opening the Devil's Gate. Hell, I tried to bargain, Dean, but no demon would deal, all right? You were rotting in Hell for months. For months, and I couldn't stop it. So, I'm sorry it wasn't me, all right?" Dean, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Sammy," Dean sighed. "You don't have to apologize, I believe you."

"I didn't do it either, Dean, I swear it," Aiden murmured.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm gladdened that Sam and Aiden's souls remain intact, but it does raise a sticky question," Bobby stated.

"If you two didn't pull me out, then who did?" Dean replied.

**Hailey's Point of View**

After I showered I changed into one of Aiden's old Stanford tees and a pair of short shorts as I walked down the hallway, my stomach was growling. I threw open the door and shut it behind me turning slowly on one white-socked foot. What I saw in front of me of me was not what I expected. Aiden, Sam and Bobby were gathered around the table. The other person with them was Dean he had his back to me and was still talking.

"If you two didn't pull me out, then who did?" Dean asked.

The sound of the door had everyone's head snapped to look at me.

"Hailey," Dean whispered.

I took a step back completely shocked. Dean wasn't supposed to be here. Nothing we could do could get him out so how was he just here? It couldn't be him but could a shapeshifter really fool three of the best hunters I knew?

"No," I whispered. "You can't be."

I looked at Sam and Aiden knowing how desperate Aiden, Sam, and I were to have Dean be here with us, alive and well. But, it's been four months even if he had found a way to get out of hell, he shouldn't look like this. Like nothing had happened those four months ago. I gulped making up my mind and lunging towards Dean.

"What are you?" I screamed.

Aiden and Sam reacted instantly each grabbing an arm so that I was dangling between them.

"Hailey, it's him," Sam stated firmly. "It's really him."

"Dee?" I whimpered.

"Baby girl," Dean smiled.

Sam and Aiden placed me gently on my feet as I lunged once more at Dean, this time into his open arms. He swooped me up and held me tightly. I wrapped my arms around his neck as my legs wrapped around his waist, a hold that I had perfected since I was four years old. Tears filled my eyes as I fought them back. Everything was all right again. We stayed like that for a few more minutes before I slipped back to my feet. I found myself being shoved back into the chair as three authority figures and one brother all stared at me.

"What?" I asked.

"What did you do, Hailey?" Dean demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied. "Why are you all looking at me like I did something wrong."

"Did you?" Sam asked.

"Hailey, did you make a deal?" Dean questioned.

"No," I responded.

"Don't lie to me," Dean snapped.

"I'm not lying," I retorted.

"It had to be you," Dean groused. "it wasn't Sam or Aiden. That leaves you, little girl."

"No, it doesn't!" I grumbled. "It means me, which it isn't or anything Supernatural."

"That's comforting," Dean sighed.

"Dean, it's obvious that neither Hailey, Sam, or Aiden, were the one who got you pulled," Bobby said. "Now, if we want some answers we have to stop pointing fingers and get moving. Sam, what were you guys doing here?"

"I was checking these demons out of Tennessee, and out of nowhere they took a hard left, booked up here, I grabbed Aiden and Hails and we went to check it out," Sam stated.

"When?" Dean asked.

"Yesterday morning," Sam replied.

"When I busted out," Dean muttered.

"You think the demons are here because of you?" Bobby queried.

"But why?" Sam wondered.

"Well, I don't know, some badass demon drags me out and now this? It's gotta be connected somehow." Dean stated.

"How are you feeling, anyway?" Bobby responded.

"I'm a little hungry," Dean shrugged.

"No, I mean, do you feel like yourself?" Bobby retorted. "Anything strange, or different?"

"Or demonic?" Dean interrupted. "Bobby, how many times do I have to prove I'm me?"

"Yeah, well, listen," Bobby sighed. "No demon's letting you loose outta the goodness of their hearts. They've gotta have something nasty planned."

"Well, I feel fine," Dean stated firmly.

"Okay, look, we don't know what they're planning," Sam said, "we've gotta a pile of questions and no shovel. We need help."

"I know a psychic," Bobby announced. "Something this big, maybe she's heard the other side talking."

"It's worth a shot," Dean shrugged.

"I'll be right back," Bobby said moving towards the door.

"Hailey, Aiden, go pack up," Sam ordered.

Aiden and I nodded rising to our feet and walking out the door to our room. I swept up the salt as Aiden grabbed all the charms before we packed up our weapons and clothing. We were packed up in less than five minutes heading back to Sam's room.

"You probably want this back," I heard Sam said as he took of Dean's amulet and placed it in Dean's hands.

"Thanks," Dean whispered.

"Yeah, don't mention it," Sam smiled. "Hey, Dean, what was it like?"

"What?" Dean recoiled sliding on the amulet, "Hell? I don't know. I must've blacked it out. I don't remember a damn thing."

"Well, thank god," Sam stated.

"You guys ready to go?" Dean asked noticing Aiden and I hovering by the door.

"Yeah," We whispered.

Sam grabbed his duffel bag following after us as Dean led the way out of the out of the motel. Bobby met us at the front leading us down the set of steps leading to the parking lot.

"She's about four hours down the Interstate," Bobby explained. "Try to keep up."

Bobby hopped into his mustang turning it on as we walked towards the impala.

"I'll assume you'll want to drive?" Sam smirked.

Sam took his keys out of his right pocket and tossed them to Dean, who caught them without even looking.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Dean chuckled running a hand over the impala. "Hey, sweetheart, did you miss me?"

I opened up the backdoor and crawled in with Aiden crawling in on the other side. Sam sank into the passenger seat as Dean settled into the driver's side. He looked around and immediately noticed the ipod attached to the stereo system. A smile spread across my face as he glowered at the ipod before glaring at Sam.

"What the hell is that?" Dean demanded.

"That's an ipod jack," Sam replied.

"You were supposed to take care of her, not douche her up," Dean scolds, dirty look still firmly in place.

"Dean, I thought it was my car," Sam protested.

Aiden snickered and Dean turned to glare at the both of us, "You two let him do this?"

"You're the one who put Gigantor in charge," Aiden shrugged.

Dean sneered at us, sighing before turning the key in the ignition. Visions by Jason Mans begin to play and Dean huffed, rolling his eyes before sending Sam another nasty look.

"Really?" Dean growled.

Sam shrugs and Dean reached forward ripping the ipod out of its jack and tossing it in the back seat where it Aiden in the chest. He glared at Dean as I began to laugh.

"Really funny, Hay," Aiden snapped shoving me into the door.

"I thought so," I retorted smirking widely.

"Guys, enough," Sam grumbled.

"There still one thing that bothers me," Dean announced a little bit later as we trailed along after Bobby.

"Yeah?" Sam wondered.

"Yeah, the night that I bit it or got bit," Dean began chuckling at his joke. "How'd you guys make it out? I thought Lilith was gonna kill you."

"Well, she tried," Sam shrugged. "She couldn't."

"What do you mean she couldn't?" Dean asked.

"She fired this, like, burning light at me, and…didn't leave a scratch. Like I was immune or something."

"It was weird, Dean, you had just been murdered, Sam and I were pinned against the wall when Abby, Lucy, and Hailey fell off the wall. They were glowing or something and then they started talking. This incantation just popped out. Talking about how blood was the final price to pay. They picked the good side and Lilith got scared and fired that light. But we were all fine," Aiden explained

"She left pretty quick after that," Sam interrupted.

"Huh," Dean mused. "What about Ruby, where is she?"

"Dead," Sam said quickly shooting a quick glance right at me that said clearly don't-you-dare-say-a-word. "For now."

"So, you've been using your, uh, freaky ESP stuff?" Dean questioned after a moment's hesitation.

"No," Sam answered.

"You sure about that?" Dean replied. "Well, I mean, now that you've got immunity, whatever the hell that is…just wondering what other kind of weirdo crap you've got going on."

"Nothing, Dean," Sam sighed. "Look you didn't want me to go down that road, so I didn't go down that road. It was practically your dying wish."

"Yeah, well, let's keep it that way," Dean said.

The car fell into an uneasy silence as we continued down the interstate. I looked between Dean and Sam wondering how long it would take for Dean to realize that Sam had lied to him, twice. I leaned against the door falling asleep. A few hours later I felt the impala slowing to a stop and I got up and got out of the car stretching as I fell into step behind Dean and pinned by Sam and Aiden on either side. Bobby knocked on the door and woman opened it. She seemed to be in her thirties with a bright smiled adorning her features.

"Bobby!" The woman whooped grabbing him into a hug and picking him briefly off the ground, which got my brothers to exchange impressed glances.

"You're a sight for sore eyes," Bobby grinned.

The woman stepped back and looked Sam, Dean, and Aiden up and down appraisingly. I got a slight glance and a wide smile.

"So, these are the boys and Hailey?" The woman asked.

"Sam, Dean, Aiden, Hails, this is Pamela Barnes, best damn psychic in the state," Bobby introduced.

"Hey," Dean smirked.

"Hi," Sam smiled a little awkwardly.

"Hey," Aiden nodded.

"Mmm-mmm-mmm. Dean Winchester. Out of the fire and back in the frying pan, huh? Makes you a rare individual," Pamela stated.

"If you say so," Dean shrugged.

"Come on in," Pamela offered ushering us through the door before closing the door firmly behind me.

"So, you hear anything?" Bobby asked.

"Well, I Ouija'd my way through a dozen spirits," Pamela sighed. "No one seems to know who broke your boy out, or why."

"So what's next?" Bobby wondered.

"A séance, I think," Pamela grinned "See is we can see who did the deed."

"You're not going to summon the damn thing here?" Bobby demanded.

"No," Pamela scoffed. "I just wanna get a sneak peek at it. Like a crystal ball without the crystal."

"I'm game," Dean said.

We moved into the living room where there's a table and a bunch of chairs. Pamela spreads a black tablecloth in symbols over a small table. Pamela then moves to a small cabinet, squatting in front of it revealing a tattoo across her back. Jesse Forever.

"Who's Jesse?" Dean asked.

"Well, it wasn't forever," Pamela laughed.

"His loss," Dean said.

"Might be your gain," Pamela smirked standing as she held several pillar candles in her hand.

"Dude, I'm so in," Dean whispered to Sam.

"Yeah, she's gonna eat you alive," Sam scoffed.

"Hey, I just got outta jail," Dean laughed. "Bring it."

"You're invited to grumpy," Pamela stated as she paused by my brothers again on the way to the table.

"You are _not_ invited," Dean disagreed.

"Guys, take a seat," Bobby ordered, pulling back Pamela's chair for her. She smiled before sinking into it as we all sat down. The table had six lighted candles in the center.

"Right, take each other's hands," Pamela ordered.

I held hands with Sam and Aiden as everyone else joined hands, "And I need to touch something our mystery monster touched," Pamela proclaimed.

"Whoa!" Dean jumped. "Well he didn't touch me there."

"My mistake," Pamela snickered.

Dean looked around uneasily before he took off his outer shirt and pulled up his left sleeve to reveal the brand. I hissed in a breath as Sam, Aiden, and I stared it shocked. Pamela raised her hand and placed it gently on the brand.

"Okay," Pamela whispered. "Close your eyes."

I shut my eyes as I hear Pamela begin to chant, "I invoke, conjure, and command you, appear unto me before this circle. I invoke, conjure, and command you, appear unto me before this circle. I invoke, conjure, and command you, appear unto me before this circle. I invoke, conjure, and command…Castiel? No, sorry, Castiel. I don't scare easily. "

"Castiel?" Dean asked

"It's name," Pamela replied. "It's whispering to me warning me to turn back."

My eyes flew open as I heard the television flick on the channel was completely static s Pamela continued to chant. The white noise and static became louder as the table began to shake.

"Maybe we should stop," Bobby whispered.

"I almost got it," Pamela said. "I command you, show me your face! Show me your face, now!"

I let out a yelp when all the candles flared up several feet in the air as Pamela began to scream. Her eyes flew open but all I saw was whit-hot flame and then she collapsed in a boneless heap, Bobby managed to catch her before she hit the floor as it became painfully silent.

"Sam, call 9-1-1!" Bobby ordered.

Sam scrambled out of the room as Dean and Bobby crouched over Pamela. Her eyes had been burned out of her head and there was good deal of blood. Honestly, I'd seen some pretty fucked up things but this had to be in the top ten.

"I can't see!" Pamela sobs. "I can't see! Oh, god!"

"Helps on the way," Dean soothed. "You'll be alright."

"You guys head back to Pontiac," Bobby ordered a few minutes later as the ambulance showed up. "I'll stay with Pamela and keep you all up to date."

"Okay," Dean said. "Come on, guys."

"We can't just leave her like that," Aiden protested.

"We have a name," Bobby stated, "Castiel. Go interrogate those demons or something. I'll keep you updated. I promise."

Seeing no other choice I got into the impala with my brothers as Dean drove us back to Pontiac. It was only an hour drive back and instead of going straight to the motel we went to a diner. Dean, Aiden, and I walked in with Sam staying back to check in with Bobby. We all ordered and Dean gave the waitress Sam's order.

"Be up in a jiff," The waitress smiled.

As she leaves Sam walked in talking to his phone, "You bet."

"What'd he say?" Dean asked.

"Pam's stable and out of ICU," Sam announced.

"And blind, because of us," Dean muttered.

"And we still have no clue what we're dealing with," Sam responded.

"That's not true," Dean disagreed. "We have a name."

"Dean," Sam groaned.

"We've got a name, Castiel or whatever," Dean continued. "With the right mumbo jumbo we could summon him and bring him right to us."

"You're crazy," Sam rolled his eyes. "Absolutely not."

"We'll work him over," Dean said. "I mean, after what he did?"

"Pam took a peek at him and her eyes burned out of her skull, and you want to have a face to face?" Sam demanded.

"You gotta a better idea?" Dean replied.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do," Sam stated. "I followed some demons to town, right?"

"We followed some demons to town, Sam," Aiden corrected.

"Okay," Dean prodded.

"We go find them," Sam shrugged. "Someone's gotta know something about something."

"Here's your pie," The waitress interrupted setting down four plates of pie.

"Thanks," Aiden smiled.

The waitress then sat down at the empty table. Dean looked at her smirking, "You angling for a tip?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were looking for us," The waitress smirked as black flooded her eyes. I recoiled as my brothers stiffened. There were two more demons, one in the cook and a uniformed man who may have been a postman.

"Dean, to hell and back, aren't you a lucky duck," The waitress sneered.

"That's me," Dean glared.

"So you get to just stroll out of the pit, huh?" The waitress demanded. "Tell me, what makes you so special?"

"I like to think it's because of my perky nipples," Dean snarked before turning serious. "I don't know, it wasn't my doing. I don't know who pulled me out."

"Right," The waitress scoffed. "You don't."

"No, I don't," Dean stated.

"Lying's a sin, ya know," The waitress glowered.

"I'm not lying," Dean said. "But I'd like to find out, so if you wouldn't mind enlightening me, Flo…"

"Mind your tone with me, boy, I'll drag you back to hell myself," The waitress snarled.

We had all been glaring daggers at the demon throughout the conversation but at those words Aiden, Sam, and I poised to attack but Dean merely held up a hand and we stopped settling back into our seats.

"No, you won't," Dean contradicts.

"No?" The waitress laughed.

"No, because if you were you would've done it already," Dean corrected. "Fact is, you don't know who cut me loose and you're just as spooked as we are. You're looking for answers. Well, maybe it was some turbo-charged spirit. Or, uh, Godzilla, or some big bad boss demon. I'm guessing t your pay grade they don't tell you squat because whoever it was, they want me out and they're a lot stronger than you. So, go ahead. Send me back but don't come crawling to me when they show up on your doorstep with Vaseline and a fire hose.

"I'm going to reach down your throat and rip out your lungs," The waitress spat angrily.

Dean leaned forward, challenge in his eyes. Suddenly he moved, his fist a blur as he punches her in the face. She didn't lift a finger to stop him and didn't move when he smacked her again.

"That's what I thought," Dean smirked. "Let's go, guys."

We stood up as the demon sat there fuming. The others moved out of our way as Dean took a roll of bills out of pocket and peeled off ten dollars. He held it up and dropped it carelessly on the table.

"For the pie," Dean spat.

Dean moved to the front of us leading the way out of the diner and down the street. I struggled to keep up with my brother's long, agitated strides before settling into my own pace. They turned at once and glared at me as I moved forward so that Aiden and Sam were flanking me on other side and Dean in the front.

"Holy crap that was close," Dean hissed.

"We're not just going to leave them in there, are we, Dean?" Sam demanded.

"Well, yeah, there could be more than just three of them and there's only a knife and gun between us."

"I've been killing a lot more demons than that lately," Sam fumed.

"Not anymore you're not," Dean barked. "The smarter brother's back in town."

"Dean, we've gotta take them out. They're dangerous!" Sam protested.

"They're scared," Dean scoffed. "Okay? Scared of whatever had the juice to yank me out. We're dealing with a bad mother here. One job at time, Sam."

"We could split up," Aiden suggested. "That way we could kill the demons and find out who pulled you out."

"No, Aiden," Dean stated, firmly. "I think we all have spent enough time apart for right now."

Sam, Aiden, and I flushed before looking away from Dean who pinned us all with a disappointed look. We continued walking back to the motel room in silence each of us were lost in our own thoughts. I knew that Dean wouldn't approve of us splitting up but we wouldn't be able to properly grieve his death without a little separation. Actually, I think it was better for the short time we were apart mostly because when we were grieving Dad at Bobby's it hurt more to watch my brothers grapple with their own mourning then my own.

As we got back to the motel we all went to Sam's room spreading out over the suite. There was still two beds, something that Dean didn't question as he walked over to the couch.

"Guys, scour the normal websites and let's see if we can't get some answers," Dean ordered.

I hopped onto my computer while Aiden began to read Dad's journal. Sam was also on his laptop but it didn't look like he was doing what Dean had asked. Within a few hours we were still exactly where we had started and god was it frustrating. Dean had fallen asleep, the large book he was reading open on his lap. Aiden was also asleep across from me. I looked up in time to see Sam get up and sneak out making sure that Dean didn't wake up. I shook my head and followed after him.

"Sam!" I shouted down the hallway.

"Hailey, go back to the room," Sam ordered.

"Sammy don't go to that diner," I whispered. "Dean told you not to."

"Hailey, mind your business," Sam snapped.

"How long do you think you can hide all this from him?" I asked. "He's not stupid, Sam. He'll figure it out and when he does he'll be pissed."

"I can take care of myself," Sam growled.

"Which is why you have a demon as backup?" I questioned angrily.

"She's not like other demons!" Sam spat.

"No, Sam, she's exactly like every other demon we've encountered only this one has her wrapped around her finger and it's pathetic."

Sam glared at me before turning on his heel and stalking away. I watched him walk away a bad feeling in my chest. I really hoped that my instincts about Ruby were wrong but I had hunted long enough to know not to discount a feeling like this, I only wished that Sam would stop being so naïve. Demons would never ever want to help us not unless they were somehow benefitting from it.

Suddenly a high-pitched noise shocked me out of my reverie as I dropped to my knees hands clasped tightly to my ears. I stumbled back to the room, where is where the noise was originating from. I found Dean and Aiden crouched on the floor watching as the mirror on the ceiling splintered. Between the high-pitched noises I could've sworn I heard someone say, "We have work for you." I shook myself out of whatever hallucination and focused on finding my brothers who were crouched in the middle of the motel room, watching paralyzed in pain as the glass above them splintered.

"Dean!" I shouted trying to be heard over the noise, "Aiden!"

"Hailey!" They both screamed back.

"What the hell is going on?" Bobby demanded. He showed up out of nowhere and grabbed my arm giving me a shove down the hallway, "Go!"

I ran down the hallway unsurprised when Aiden, Dean, and Bobby came racing out.

"Where's Sam?" Dean asked.

"I don't know," I replied.

"Damn brat, took my car," Dean muttered.

"Get in, ya idjit," Bobby demanded.

We all crowded into Bobby's mustang as he climbed into the driver's side driving away from the motel room. I had no idea where we could be going. This whole thing just felt off. Maybe it was the fact that Sam wasn't with us. Or even more the fact that I knew what and more to the point who Sam was doing.

"How you doing, kid?" Bobby asked Dean as he wiped blood from his face.

"Aside from the church bells ringing in my head, peachy," Dean muttered. "Aiden call Sam, ask him what the hell he's doing with my car."

"Okay," Aiden whispered.

After a short conversation where Sam apparently told Aiden he was getting a burger and then relayed the message to us, the car fell into silence.

"Why didn't you tell him what happened?" Bobby asked suddenly.

"Because he'd just try to stop us," Dean replied.

"Stop us from what?" Bobby asked suspiciously.

"Summoning this thing," Dean shrugged. "It's about time we faced it head-on."

"You can't be serious," Bobby gaped.

"As a heart attack," Dean replied. "It's high noon, baby."

"Dean this is a good idea," I said. "This thing burned out someone's eyes just because she got a glimpse of it."

"And we don't know what it is," Bobby grumbled. "It could be a demon. It could be anything."

"That's why we'll be ready for anything," Dean stated. "We've got the big time magic knife, the kill-everything gun, and you've got an arsenal in the trunk."

"This is a bad idea," Bobby huffed.

"I couldn't agree more," Dean shook his head. "But what other choice do we have?"

"We could choose life," Bobby answered.

"Bobby, whatever this is, whatever it wants it's after me," Dean began. "That much we know, right? I've got no place to hide. I can either get caught with my pants down again, or we can make our stand."

"We could use Sam on this," Bobby shrugged.

"Nah, he's better off where he is," Dean sighed. "Besides Hailey and Aiden have this under control, right guys?"

"Yeah," Aiden and I chorused giving each other unsure glances.

What was going on? First Sam disappears in the middle of the night no doubt to go after those demons in the diner. Then, so random high pitched noises and now Dean thinks Sam shouldn't come with us on something even he admitted as being a bad idea. In our world bad ideas got people killed, which was why we should have all the help we could get. Bobby continued to drive, not stopping until we in front of a rectangular, abandoned warehouse.

"What do we do?" I asked.

"We draw every protective sigil known to man," Dean ordered. "The floor, walls, and ceiling. Aiden you help her. Bobby and I will get the weapons ready."

"This is a bad idea," I mumbled.

"Hailey, if you're not thinking answers, don't think at all," Dean reproached.

I shot him a dirty look as I walked into the warehouse armed with two cans of spray paint and all the knowledge that being raised in the hunting business brought me. Two hours later the entire warehouse was covered. There was one table that had nearly every weapon that Bobby had in his car.

"That's one hell of an art project," Dean smiled looking around.

"There's traps and talismans from every faith on the globe," Bobby stated. "How're you doing?"

"Stakes, iron, silver, salt, the magic weapons," Dean said his hand sweeping over the table. "I mean, we're pretty much set to catch and kill everything I've ever heard of."

"This is still a bad idea," Bobby said.

"Yeah, I got that the first ten times," Dean retorted. "Can you guys say anything else?"

After a moment Dean continued, "What do you say we ring the dinner bell?"

Bobby nodded as he went over to the end of the table and said the rite, dropping a match into a large bowl. It flared up and then smoked, we looked around, on edge as we waited for whatever was after Dean to make his appearance. After a half hour of waiting our stances had relaxed. Bobby and Dean were on the table swinging their legs and looking bored. Aiden and I were leaning against the opposite wall, still ready for anything.

"You sure you did the ritual right?" Dean asked. Bobby sent him an nasty look and he held his hand up placatingly. "Sorry, touchy, touchy."

As if on cue there was a loud rattling that shook the roof and the warehouse's very foundations. Dean threw Aiden and I a shotgun which we immediately cocked towards the front entrance as Dean and Bobby followed suit. The doors burst open and a man dressed in a business suit and a trench coat stalks inside. The light bulbs shatter overheard as he passes them. When Dean and Bobby began to shoot Aiden and I did as well. The salt rounds, an iron rounds didn't even slow him down. Dean takes the magic knife off the table as the Castiel gets closer. Aiden grabbed the Colt and I held up my hands making him keep his distance. He looked at me tilting his head, only dropping eye contact as Dean cuts him with the knife.

"Who are you?" Dean demanded.

"I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition," Castiel replied.

"Yeah, thanks for that," Dean grins before he rears back and plunging the knife into his chest.

Castiel looks down completely unconcerned with the fact that he had just been stabbed, for Christ sakes. He grabbed the hilt of the knife and yanked it out without even a wince and dropped it to the ground. Bobby reacts faster than Aiden or I but Castiel leaned into his attack, grabbing Bobby's shotgun and pulled him close. He placed two fingers on Bobby's forehead and Bobby crumbled to the ground.

"Bobby!" I shouted as I shoved Castiel backwards.

Aiden moved to fire the Colt but Castiel tilted his head causing the gun to fly out of his hands as Castiel moved quickly touching Aiden on the forehead. It had the same reaction and Dean and I looked at each other.

"Hailey Winchester," Castiel greeted suddenly right in front of. "We have much to discuss, just not now."

Castiel grabbed my wrist and jerked me forward as Dean growled in the background. He tapped my forehead and I really didn't know how to describe the feeling but all of a sudden I just needed to sleep and crumbled to the floor, realizing, and vaguely so, that my landing on the dirt packed ground was going to hurt in the morning.

**Dean's Point of View**

"We need to talk," Castiel informed me.

I rose from my crouch after making sure that Aiden, Bobby, and Hailey had a pulse.

"Your friend and your siblings are alive," Castiel stated.

"Who are you?" I growled.

"Castiel," Castiel replied.

"Yeah, I figured that," I scoffed. "I mean what are you?"

"I'm an Angel of the Lord," Castiel said.

"Get the fuck out of here," I laughed. "There's not such thing."

"That's your problem, Dean," Castiel sighed. "You have no faith."

I flinched as lightening flashed exposing great shadowy wings that stretched off into the distance. The lightening stopped just as quickly as it started and I stared wide-eyed at Castiel.

"Some angel you are," I snapped. "You burned out that poor woman's eyes!"

"I warned her not to spy on my true from," Castiel said. "It can be overwhelming to humans, so can my real voice. But, you already knew that."

"You mean the gas station and the motel?" I demanded. "That was you talking? Buddy, next time lower the volume."

"That was my mistake," Castiel flushed. "Certain people, special people, can perceive my true visage. I though you'd be one of them but I was wrong."

"And what visage are you in now?" I scoffed. "Holy tax accountant?"

"This?" Castiel answered. "This is a vessel."

"You're possessing someone?" I barked.

"He's a devout man, he actually prayed for this," Castiel corrected.

"Well, I'm not buying what you're selling, so who are you really?" I growled.

"I told you," Castiel frowned.

"Right and why would an angel rescue me from Hell?" I snickered.

"Good things do happen, Dean," Castiel reproached.

"Not in my experience," I hissed.

"What's the matter?" Castiel wondered. "You don't think you deserve to be saved?"

"Why'd you do it?" I asked. Not even giving a thought to his question. Of course I didn't deserve to be saved. After the things I did? I didn't deserve a goddamn thing.

"Because God commanded it," Castiel stated firmly. "Because we have work for you."

Work for me? What the hell did work for me mean. I was some angel's bitch now? Just because he pulled me from the pit? Before I could get any of these questions answered the man or angel or whatever just disappeared leaving me with three unconscious people and a ringing phone. I guess it's true what they say there is no rest for the wicked.


	38. Do You See What I See?

_**Author's Note: Sorry all for the delay, it's nearing the end of the semester (thank god!) so there is a lot more work and stress and overall just fun times all around. And if there wasn't enough stress in just the added work, it's getting to be the holidays and one of my suitemates has turned into a raving psycho bitch. But, enough about real life. Here is Chapter Thirty Eight. Tell me what you think. Happy Reading. ~Beccatdemon13**_

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**Chapter Thirty-Eight: Do You See What I See?**

"_They had the force of nature, some say the force of hell. God took out insurance when those angels fell."_

**Hailey's Point of View**

The most annoying things about having three older brothers wasn't just the fact that they were older, although on principle that was annoying in and of itself, no, it was the fact that they hide stuff from me _that_ was annoying. It was like they had a code all their own and the only reason they could or would tell me things was if they were all in agreement that I needed to know. This is completely discounting the fact that I have dirt on every single one of them that would cause some major issues if I were to just let those out. But, do they take that into consideration? No. To them I'll always be their little baby sister, not the twenty year old that really didn't need all this sheltering anymore.

Not that one would be very willing to believe my argument. For once Aiden was being left out as well so I couldn't badger him for information, which sucked because Aiden would always fold like a cheap suit. And then I'd be in the know but nope, this time it was just one of the many secrets kept between Dean and Sam. I shouldn't feel that angry Aiden and I had a lot of secrets Sam and Dean didn't know about. Of course, none of those secrets had anything to do with the fact that, oh right, angels were real!

At least that was one of the things I had heard since I had snuck into Sam and Dean's room in the first place. Aiden was content with staying out of whatever this was. Saying that they had to have had a reason for not telling us. Just like they had to have had a reason for letting us stay in Illinois despite there being no case here. We were just stewing here taking up three different motel rooms holding, Aiden and I in one room, Sam and Dean in another. And Bobby in the last one.

We had been here for weeks and it was starting to make me crazy. We never stayed still this long. Bobby, Sam, and Dean were so focused on all this angel lore only that was the only thing we knew collectively. An angel had saved Dean because god wanted him too. Those were two things that I was never really sure about. Dean had told me that mom use to say that angels watched over us while we were sleeping and then she died and no one ever mentioned angels or god again because no god could be this cruel and let so many good and wonderful people die before their time. Pastor Jim always encouraged us to have faith and that if we never lost it then we had truly lost what we were fighting for. Pastor Jim was a smart man, and I knew that he was a man of god and if a hunter had that much faith in something then maybe, just maybe it was true.

I was still unsure, though. What had this angel said to Dean when he had made Bobby, Aiden, and I fall asleep with just a touch on the forehead. I had a major bone to pick with this Castiel because one I had a giant bruise on my hip from that fall and two, exactly what did we have to talk about? And just what did he say to Dean to have him this on edge and willing to stay somewhere for more than a few weeks when we were all perfectly fine and the demons that were in town, save for Ruby, unfortunately, were all dead.

This about summed up the very reason why I was currently snooping in Sam and Dean's room looking for clues of any kind. Aiden, Sam, Dean, and Bobby had went to a bar to get money and to see if there really were any reasons to stay here. Them being at a bar easily freed up maybe three hours. So far my search had yielded nothing except that my brothers were slobs and Sam really should've done laundry, about two weeks ago. Guys, were so gross.

Just when my eyes had landed on Dean's journal, a near exact replica of Dad's except younger and even more protected because nothing said absolutely off limits more than you-touch-this-I-make-sure-no-boy-even-looks-in-your-direction-again. Dean was serious too because as overprotective as my brothers were when I came to boys they could really be so much worse. Hell, the worst thing Dean had ever said to one of my few suitors growing up was, "Do you know how to use a gun? No Well, I do, watch your hands, buddy boy." I'd never seen one boy go so pale in my entire life.

Anyway, this journal was huge and almost definitely housed anything I wanted to know about what was going on. The fact that it was out in the open was a little odd but I thought nothing of it as I reached toward it, fully intending to break one of the biggest rules in the Winchester handbook: every journal was off limits except for Dad's.

"Ooh, aren't you frisky!" Dean whooped.

My eyes went wide as my hands slammed to my sides. Damn it, why hadn't I heard the footsteps. As a general rule hiding wasn't the best idea. Dad always said when it doubt, get out. Of course, he was talking about snooping in other peoples homes but in this case they applied. As a hand went to the doorknob and it began to turn I did the only thing I could. I dropped to my knees and rolled under one of the beds.

"Ooh, baby you're my kind of woman," Dean groaned appreciatively.

I wanted to put my hands in my ears and sing. I wished I was back in the safety of my own room instead I just squeezed my eyes shut and hoped for the best. That was probably why I didn't see the bed skirt flip up and two hands grab my ankles and pull. My back skidded on the barely carpeted floor as a great force jerked me from my hiding place.

Dean started down and said, "Hello, Hails."

The good news was the girl was nowhere to be found. The bad news was that Dean had absolutely no trouble finding me. And as he forced me into one of the dinette chairs and slammed the journal on top of the table I couldn't help but feel like I was six years old getting in trouble for eating cookies before dinner or something as childish.

"Hi, Dean," I grinned.

"What are you doing in here?" Dean asked. "And how exactly did you get in here, Hailey?"

"I might've picked the lock," I muttered.

"Oh," Dean smirked. "What else might've you done?"

"Nothing," I replied.

"What are you doing in here, Hailey Jade?" Dean questioned.

"How'd you find me?" I asked.

"You think I wouldn't realize when one of my siblings is in the room?" Dean shook his head, "Hails, I've been looking after you since you were six months old. I know the difference between you're sleeping and when you're pretending to sleep. I know when you're lying. I know when you're hiding stuff from us and I know when you're just hiding, period. There isn't a move you've made since you were four that I haven't been able to figure out."

"Oh," I whispered. Because honestly I had forgotten in the four months Dean had been gone. If there was one person who knew me almost too well it was Dean. Someone who could easily anticipate any moves I could even think about making before I even put it into action.

"So, I'll ask again, Hailey, what are you doing in here?" Dean prodded, reminding me that his question still remained unanswered.

"I wanted answers," I sighed.

"Did you read my journal?" Dean asked.

"No," I said firmly. "But I was going to. Dean, please, I'm tired of being kept in the dark like some stupid kid. What did Castiel say? Why are we still in Illinois?"

"Hailey, we just found out that Angels and maybe God might be real so we're taking a breathe before we move," Dean sighed. "We've kept you and Aiden in the dark, I know, but we honestly have no idea what to make of any of this. No hunter we've ever met has seen an angel. Their sudden appearance can't be good."

"What did Castiel say to you?" I asked.

"That they have work for me," Dean said.

"That's it?" I frowned.

"Yeah," Dean shrugged. "Now why don't you get some sleep? It's late."

"Okay, Dean," I whispered.

I stood up happy that the interrogation was over. My hand was touching the knob when Dean's voice came from behind me.

"Oh, and Hailey?" Dean called causing me to turn on my heel.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Don't even think about attempting to snoop in my journal again," Dean stated firmly. "You understand?"

"Yes, sir," I replied.

"Good," Dean smiled. "Night Hails."

"G'night Dean," I grinned.

I walked out of the room and back into my room unsurprised to find the lights were still off meaning that Aiden and most likely Sam were still at the bar, which meant I should be al alone in the room, but the hair rising on the back of my neck spoke of an entirely different situation. I pivoted quickly and suddenly on my heel throwing my hands out causing at least one maybe two bodies to slam against the opposite walls as I switched on the light.

"Abby?" I demanded as I took in the people who had broken in, "Lucy? What are you guys doing here?"

"Jesus, nice to see you to, Hailey," Abby groused as I let them fall back to their feet.

"We heard a voice that told us to find you," Lucy said.

"Lucy, normally, you shouldn't tell people that we head voices," Abby grumbled.

"Oh, and ghosts and psychic abilities is okay topics?" Lucy snarked back.

"What kind of voices?" I asked.

"It was loud," Abby sighed. "And saying something along the lines of now isn't the time for the Trinity to be separated."

"Did it sound really deep and booming?" I asked.

"You heard it too?" Lucy whispered.

"Yes," I sighed.

"What was it, Hails?" Abby wondered.

"It was me."

We all whirled around and saw that Castiel, still in the same business suit and trench coat as the last time I talked to him. The fluttering of wings sounded seconds before he chose to speak was one of the major tip offs to the fact that we were no longer alone.

"Who are you?" Abby hissed.

"This is Castiel," I introduced. "He pulled Dean out of hell."

"Dean's alive?" Lucy repeated.

"Yeah," I smiled. "He is."

"God, our lives are weird," Abby scoffed but there was a genuine smile underneath the front of sarcasm. Dean being back reunited our family. Dean was the one who had the ability to keep us all together and grounded within the cause.

"Is this where we have much to discuss?" I asked.

"Yes, I told your counterparts to find you," Castiel replied. "It is no longer safe to stay apart."

"How do you know who we were?" Abby demanded.

"Who do you think made you who you are?" Castiel retorted. "Your abilities aren't demonic, they're celestial."

"What?" Abby, Lucy, and I shrieked at once.

"That prophecy your psychic friends had was written in one of the oldest languages known to man," Castiel explained. "Some of it doesn't translate it directly. Azazel attempted to taint your bloodline to make you more loyal to hell but your instincts kept you in the middle and you chose the path that we designed for you. That the angels and God designed for you."

"You're saying we're angels?" Lucy hissed.

"No," Castiel disagreed immediately. "You're human but the prophecy set you above the rest of humanity, another class as it were."

"A class of freaks," Abby grumbled.

"We're not freaks," Lucy retorted.

"No, you are not," Castiel agreed. Although, it didn't seem like he understood quite what we were talking about.

"What the hell does it mean that our abilities were celestial?" Abby snapped turning her anger towards Castiel.

"Just like demons can manipulate humans into having abilities angels can do the same thing," Castiel said. "You all were technically chosen together, centuries before you and your families were born. We needed an insurance policy for the next time hell attempted to rise up and start the apocalypse."

"We had to chose sides and we did," I said. "Aren't we done?"

"No," Castiel said. "The apocalypse is coming and we need you know more than ever."

"I thought we stopped the apocalypse," I contradicted.

"You did but hell found another way," Castiel stated. "You all should stay together."

"Or what?" Lucy wondered.

"Or you'll die," Castiel replied.

Abby, Lucy, and I exchanged startled glances.

"You girls underestimate your power," Castiel reproached. "You're the strongest when you're all together, you're weak and vulnerable when you're not. One day I hope you all will realize this before someone gets hurt."

"Listen to me, you son of a bitch," Abby snarled. "People have already been hurt in spite of us, regardless of what we are. So, don't pretend you know our lives or our abilities just because you're the one you gave them to us."

We all flinched when Castiel vanished on the spot, a fluttering of wings symbolizing that we hadn't just imagined the entire conversation.

"What the fuck is going on?" Abby snapped. "Who was that? And way to tell us Dean was alive, Hails."

"He came strolling through that door like not even two days ago," I responded. "Sorry if I was a little distracted."

"Can we see him?" Lucy asked.

Abby crossed her eyes and looked at me, obviously angry that she didn't know exactly what was going before they had walked in. I nodded and opened the door, walking back towards Dean and Sam's room and knocking on the door. It swung open not even ten seconds later and I barged in with Abby and Lucy at my heels.

"Abs," Dean greeted, smiling, "Luce."

It was at that moment I realized exactly how deep the ties with the trinity and my family went because at that exact moment Dean opened his arms Abby and Lucy rushed in curling themselves to each side of his body. I smiled at the scene realizing that Bobby was right, family doesn't end with blood. Or at least it didn't within the world of hunters. I had countless Aunts and Uncles but I never really had sisters before. But, I guess that was what Abby and Lucy were.

"Well, this isn't exactly what I was expecting to see," Sam called as the motel room door opened and closed.

Both Lucy and Abby withdrew from Dean's side, crossing their arms at the exact same time, glaring at Sam sharply. Dean looked back and forth between Abby, Lucy, and Sam before raising an eyebrow at me.

"What happened?" Dean asked.

"You should ask Sam," Abby retorted.

"Abs," I hissed.

"What is going on?" Dean repeated sounding annoyed.

"Nothing, isn't that right, Abs?" Sam replied.

"Yeah, that's right," Abby growled.

"Uh-huh," Dean rolled his eyes. "Listen it's been a long night. We should get some rest."

"Hails," Lucy nudged me.

"What?" Sam and Dean asked.

"We, uh, we sorta met Castiel," I sighed.

"Excuse me?" Dean demanded.

"He told us the origins of us," I stated.

"And?" Sam questioned.

"We're celestial," Abby snarled.

"What?" Dean gaped. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that Azazel didn't give us our abilities, angels did," I said. "And Azazel knew that and attempted to pollute our bloodline."

"Did he say anything else?" Dean asked.

"Told us to stay together," Lucy shrugged.

Dean and Sam exchanged glances before Dean turned back to us, resolve in his gaze, and "We'll talk about this more in the morning."

"Yes, sir," I replied with Abby and Lucy as my echo.

Lucy opened the door and we went back to the room I shared with Aiden. Luckily this was one of the few motels that had a couch bed. I helped set that up as Lucy and Abby both got their bags. Their motorcycles were out in the lot right next the impala and I fought a smile. I knew that Dean wouldn't be able to turn Abby and Lucy away anymore than I could. For some reason Dean despite not trusting this angel at all, he seemed like he would listen to him.

Aiden came in two hours later, crawling into his bed as Abby, Lucy, and I slept. The next morning came far too quickly as I woke up to the local news blaring.

"Turn it off!" I complained burrowing further under my covers.

"Hailey, we have a problem," Abby said shortly.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Well, for one Lucy's a missing person," Abby said. "The second one is that she's a senators daughter, near his constituency. There's nearly a million dollar reward for tips and her picture is everywhere."

"What?" I gaped. "Where is she?"

Abby gestured behind us where Lucy was watching the television her eyes glued to the screen in horror.

"Luce?" I whispered.

"He looks horrible," Lucy whimpered. "I've put my family in danger."

I sat down and watched as Senator Mackenzie gave a speech, imploring Lucy to just pick up a phone and if someone had took her that money was no object, he'd give them whatever they want. What was even worse was looking at her older brother Jackson, his arms wrapped around her little sister, Alice. Both were standing directly behind their father looking completely miserable.

"Jax, Ally," Lucy whimpered, tears slipping down her cheeks. "They think I'm dead."

"No, they don't," Abby said. "They think you ran away or were kidnapped."

"That's so much better," Lucy snapped.

"Lucy, you can go back if you want too," I soothed.

"No, she can't," Abby disagreed. "You said you put them in danger? You haven't yet until demons get wind that you actually care about them. You show up on your family's door step and they're going to lock you up and throw away the key and then you'll really be in jeopardy."

"Abby," I growled.

"No, Hails," Lucy interrupted, "she's right."

"Guys, what's going on?" Aiden asked, choosing at that moment to come out of the bathroom.

"Lucy's from Illinois," I said. "And the senator thinks that his daughter ran away or was kidnapped. There's a million dollar reward for tips."

"Shit," Aiden cussed. "Lucy, who would understand that you're fine and haven't run away and that putting out this much attention is more harmful then helpful?"

**Lucy's Point of View**

I never ever thought they even cared about me. I thought I was just another way to get votes by playing the pity card. Mother dies in a horrible way, father left alone with three children, not that he was really left alone, ever. He ditched us all the time. Sent all three of us to boarding school so much so that we barely ever saw each other except for holidays or important political rallies.

Jackson or Jax as Alice and I normally called him was only two years older than me and at twenty two years old, he looked completely different than the last time I had seen him nearly three years ago. At that time nineteen year old Jackson was a college sophomore and all American quarterback with spiky blond hair and bright green eyes he was exactly what a father could hope for in a son. Especially since the senator wasn't the biggest fan of back talk.

In my family I was the wild child, steps away from a reformatory. It wasn't that I was bad I just wasn't one to support my father capitalizing my mother's death. That's why he sent me to one of the strictest all girls boarding schools in the country. My sister was across the entire country, all alone and she was only fourteen years old.

Both siblings who I remember so happy and full of life looked like shells of the people I had known. Their eyes had dark circles underneath them and both had lost a lot of weight. I could feel their pain through the television and that pain was excruciating. I didn't even realize that they'd know I was missing, that the school must've called the second they realized the senator's daughter was missing.

"I'll call Jax," I whispered.

"Is that a good idea?" Hailey asked.

"Jax will understand," I replied. "He'll want to see me and want all this explained but he'll cover for me. Tell Dad I'm in Spain or something."

"Spain?" Aiden asked raising an eyebrow.

"I've, uh, done that before," I flushed as Aiden looked surprised and Hailey satisfied.

"At least I never left the continent," Hailey muttered.

"Not the time, Hay," Aiden huffed.

"Guys," Sam called barging into the room. "Have you seen…?"

"We're aware," I interrupted.

"And she has an idea," Hailey said.

"What idea is that?" Sam asked.

"I'm going to call my brother and then I'm going to call one of my friends to get new Ids made," I said running through everything that I had thought of.

"Okay," Sam nodded. "Let's do that and pack up we're leaving Illinois just as soon as this gets handled. We don't want FBI involved."

I sighed as I got out my phone knowing that I'd have to keep the conversation short and to the point just incase they were trying to trace my number to find out where I am. I waited until the press conference was over and both Jax and Rose went off stage. I called almost immediately my teeth biting on my lower lip, nervously.

"Hello?" Jax asked.

"Jax," I whispered.

"Lucy?" Jax demanded. "Where the hell are you?"

"Shhh," I hissed. "Don't tell anyone."

"Give me one reason why I should, you've been gone for two years, Luce," Jax frowned. "You disappeared from that school without a word. Ally thinks you're dead."

"Jax, just listen to me, I didn't run away," I replied. "Stuff happened and I had to leave. I didn't want to put you all in danger. You have to stop looking for me."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jax snapped.

"You know how I told you I saw Momma?" I whispered. "This is because of that."

"Lucy, you didn't see Mom," Jax disagreed. "You were upset."

"You don't believe me?" I asked.

"I don't know what to believe," Jax confessed. "You've been gone, Lucy. We had no idea if you were even alive and now you're telling me that you seeing dead people is involved in all this."

"I prefer medium," I muttered.

"Tell me where you are, Lucy," Jax ordered. "Right now."

"I'm in a motel room off of I-95," I confessed, "and if you love me or trust me at all you'll come find me alone. Do not tell Dad. Jackson, please."

"You owe me, kid," Jax grumbled. "What motel?"

"Motel Hotel," I answered.

"Is that the one where all the prostitutes use?" Jax growled.

"I don't know, it's the only one that doesn't pay by the hour," I retorted.

"I'll be there in one hour," Jax said.

"See you soon," I sighed.

I hung up the phone and knew that I only had a short amount of time I would be reunited with my big brother. I really didn't know how to feel, mostly I was anxious but I really wanted to see him. It had been too long. When a loud knock echoed around the room, my head shot towards the windows as the Winchesters and Abby stood around the back of the room. I cleared my throat before walking to the door and throwing it open.

"Luce!" A young voice yelped before I stumbled backwards as Alice charged right into me, wrapping her arms around my waist.

"Ally," I whispered, returning the hug and resting my chin on top of her head. I looked over to see Jackson staring at me. I sighed as Alice clung to me managing to shift her over so that I could hug Jackson.

Tears welled in my eyes as I remembered exactly how much I had missed ever since Momma died. If she was alive there was no way we'd be going to different boarding schools or boarding schools at all. She firmly believed that families stayed together regardless of circumstances, which was why the Winchester family was so refreshing they stayed together for the most part, except for a few bumps in the road.

After a few moments Jackson broke apart holding me by the shoulders as Alice let go. Both starred at me obviously demanding answers and just when I was about to start explaining, Jax noticed the Winchesters and Abby.

"Who are they?" Jax asked.

"Jackson, they're friends," I soothed. "They've helped me."

"Helped you what?" Jax demanded. "Run away from your family? What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was kidnapped," I replied.

"By them?" Jax growled.

"No!" I snapped. "They're keeping me safe from what kidnapped me."

"What?" Jackson repeated. "You mean who."

"No, it's more of a what," Aiden disagreed.

"I'm sorry but who are you?" Jax hissed.

"Aiden Winchester," Aiden introduced. "This is my sister Hailey, my brothers Sam and Dean and this is Abby."

"Terrific," Jax muttered.

"Jackson," Ally reproached moving to stand in front of him as she addressed the people behind us, "Hi, I'm Ally and this is Jax."

"Nice to meet you," Hailey said.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, care to fill in a few blanks?" Jax growled. "Mostly of where the hell you've been for the past two years?"

"I have abilities and I was kidnapped for them," I said.

"Excuse me?" Jax gaped.

"She's telling the truth," Abby called.

"Prove it," Jax said.

"She can't," Abby said. "But Hailey and I can."

"Abs, I don't think that's such a good idea," Hailey muttered.

"It's okay, Hailey," I informed her, "just don't hurt them."

Abby and Hailey looked at each other before Hailey rolled her eyes. To everyone else, they didn't understand what had just occurred but Abby had basically volunteered to show my siblings exactly what kind of shit I was dealing with. Abby glared around the room before she saw a stack of old magazines, with a wink they were on fire as Jax and Ally stared wide-eyed.

"You could've rigged that," Jax muttered.

"Oh?" Abby grinned. She then snapped her fingers causing on small spark of fire to leap out. "Am I faking this?"

"No," Jax said. Before looking at me and Hailey suspiciously. "What can you two do?"

"Medium," I answered.

"Telekinetic," Hailey grinned.

"I'm an elemental," Abby said. "I just like fire the most."

"Oh, that's, uh, comforting," Jax grunted sitting down heavily on one of the beds.

"Lucy, what's going on?" Ally asked.

"First thing you have to know is monsters are real, so are demons and angels," I explained. "And we're all right in the middle of it. Hailey, Abby, and I were taken by a demon we were the only ones of our generation to survive but we found something out later. We're apart of this legend. The trinity shall be born to a world on a brink of extinction. We're supposed to stop hell from rising again."

"Thing is that didn't work out too well," Hailey said. "Me and my brothers grew up in this life. Knew what it took to keep each other safe and to kill the things that lurked in the shadows. What we didn't know was where any of these abilities came from not until recently."

"And where did they come from?" Ally asked.

"Angels, apparently," I shrugged. "We're not so sure about that but it makes some sense."

"So, let's just say all this is real," Jax relented. "But, how does any of this explain why you've been completely MIA for the past three years."

"If I came back I'd be putting you all in danger," I explained. "I won't have your blood on my hands, I refuse."

"We're not defenseless!" Jax snapped.

"Yes, you are," Hailey contradicted. "My brothers and I were forced into this life. Abby, Lucy, Sam, and I have advantages."

"You're brother, Sam?" Ally questioned. "I thought you said only…"

"I'm different," Sam interrupted. "Let's just leave it at that."

"Okay, then," Jax grumbled before addressing me, "This isn't exactly giving me any reason to lie to Dad on your behalf."

"Because I don't want any of you getting hurt!" I screamed. "God, Jackson, this isn't like before. Before I'd run away because I was a spoiled little brat who wanted to see if her family actually cared about her. Now I'm just trying to protect you guys. I killed Momma and I know I did. I refuse to ever let something like that happen ever again."

"You didn't kill your mother, Luce, Azazel did that," Hailey disagreed.

"And he's dead," Dean stated.

"We can take care of ourselves," Jax said. "Lucy this entire thing is ridiculous."

"NO!" I shouted. "It's not. You don't understand, Jackson, every monster you ever though was fake, isn't and they want to kill you. You're a civilian in this life and if you don't get Dad to call this search off, demons will find you and kill you to get to me."

"So, what do you want me to do?" Jax growled. "Just let you leave and leave you alone, vulnerable?"

"I have them," I whispered. "They're like family to me. Jax, please."

"I can't just let you go again," Jax retorted. "Lucy, no."

"You don't have to," I groaned. "I can call you and make sure you know I'm alive. But, Jax, I know what I'm supposed to do and it has nothing to do with Dad's political career."

Things fell silent as Jackson took in what I said. Ally didn't say a word but merely watched as our older brother stood thee trying to evaluate the situation. I held my breathe waiting to see what he would decide, knowing that if he decided that he wanted me back home I couldn't stop him from dragging me all the way there.

"Fine," Jax said after a few minutes. "But I have conditions."

"That are?" I replied.

"You don't fall off the map, Ally and I have to see you at least once a month, if we don't, then I will tell Dad. You tell us if you get hurt and you call us at least once a week," Jax stated.

"Done," I replied.

"Then I guess you should lay a paper trail straight towards Madrid, shouldn't you, little sister?" Jax smirked.

I grinned at my big brother before hugging him again. I knew that he would understand and eventually believe me.

**Abby's Point of View**

It was so stupid to feel this way but that didn't mean I could just stop feeling jealous. Well, it was more like envious. First there was the Winchester family, despite the fact they tended to argue on a near constant basis, they loved each other and would do anything for one another. The Winchesters were like the family I always wished for. People to protect you even if you were perfectly capable of defending yourself. It wasn't because they thought you couldn't do that but because they thought you shouldn't have to. As long as they were around you wouldn't have to. And even though they had more or less adopted me I was still slightly jealous, unable to understand how Hailey seemed to shrug off their concern at every turn. Didn't she realize how lucky she was.

And then there was Lucy's family. Sure it was fucked up and she was shipped off to boarding school at every turn, being away from her siblings during the year. But, it was obvious how much they loved each other. How much her father really did love her if he was ready to throw down a million dollars for people who just had answers as to where she could possibly be. I didn't have any of that. No one cared if I was gone from Baltimore, hell, the home was probably ecstatic there was one less mouth to feed and one less delinquent to worry about.

I nearly jumped sky high when long fingers curled around my shoulder in a comforting embrace and I melted back into the wall as Aiden pulled me into his side. Well, maybe I didn't have a biological family that loved me but I had Lucy and the Winchesters. And you know what? That was enough for me.

**Hailey's Point of View**

I watched as Lucy and her family walked out of the motel room so that they could have a private goodbye. I was just glad that they had worked everything out. I saw the look on Abby's face as she regarded the scene and then Aiden wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side and she had this huge smile on her face before she schooled her features back to a blank expression as she continued to watch the Mackenzie family.

I was happy that my brothers had took to Lucy and Abby as fast as I had because whether they liked it or not they were apart of our circle now and there was no going back. After Lucy came back in she looked much better, content even and I was happy.

"Guys, we have a problem," Bobby announced rushing into the room and looking really worried.

"What's wrong, Bobby?" Aiden asked.

"I gotta friend one state over, Olivia Lowry," Bobby said. "I've been trying to reach her for three days on this Angel thing. It's not like her to miss this many calls."

"She's a hunter?" Sam clarified.

"Yeah and we're going to go check on her," Bobby ordered. "You all follow me."

"Yes, sir," We all chorused.

Bobby walked back out of the room going to back up his things as we all began to move towards our own duffel bags.

"Wait, this Angel said that you three shouldn't be alone?" Dean said looking between Abby, Lucy, and I.

"Yes, sir," I said.

"Then it looks like you're coming," Dean nodded.

"Sweet," Abby grinned. "But we have our own rides."

"Then you better get moving, Blondie," Dean smirked. "Show us you all can keep up."

"I'll show you, Blondie," Abby muttered walking towards her duffel bag.

In five minutes we were all packed up and ready to go as Bobby led the charge in his mustang. The impala followed a few feet behind it and a few feet behind us was two motorcycles that Dean wasn't exactly happy with but he chose to keep his mouth shut. I wondered if maybe he'd let me ride mine occasionally. I snorted quietly, that wasn't likely.


	39. Are You There, God?

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: Are You There, God?**

"_Drop a pebble in the water:_

_just a splash, and it is gone;_

_But there's half-a-hundred ripples_

_Circling on and on and on,_

_Spreading, spreading from the center,_

_flowing on out to the sea._

_And there is no way of telling_

_where the end is going to be."_

It wasn't the longest drive ever but I could almost guarantee that even with taking back roads and avoiding highways that we drew notice. Not that I wouldn't be curious as to what two cars and two motorcycles were doing or even where they were going. Lucy and Abby kept pace and then some. Sometimes they'd trail in between the two cars, sometimes behind the impala and then sometimes one would be in between the mustang and the impala while the other one trailed along behind us. That didn't sit well with Dean who shouted at them to stay together and stop moving around so much.

By the time we got to Olivia's house it was the middle of the day. Bobby entered first followed by Dean and Sam. All of our guns were at the ready because we really didn't know what we were walking into. Only that Olivia never went this long without calling Bobby back and she wouldn't miss this many calls either.

"Olivia!" Bobby called.

As we all turned the corner into the living room we saw who I assumed to be Olivia dead and covered in blood.

"Bobby?" Dean asked as Bobby turned away and walked out of the room.

"Dean," Sam whispered, pointing into the living room.

"Salt line," Sam stated.

"And a lot of it," Aiden said.

"EMF," Dean said. "Olivia was rocking the EMF meter."

"Spirit activity," Sam nodded.

"Yeah, on steroids," Dean snorted. "I've never seen a ghost do this to a person."

And Dean was right I don't think anyone ever saw a ghost do this to a person and by this I meant Olivia was nearly disemboweled. Every single one of her ribs were cracked and sticking out her mouth frozen mid scream. There was blood everywhere the sight was ghastly. The floor creaked as Bobby came back into the room looking more than a little anxious.

"Bobby, you all right?" Dean asked.

"I called some hunters near by…" Bobby answered.

"Good," Dean interrupted. "We can use their help."

"Except that they're not answering their phones either," Bobby frowned.

"Something's up, huh?" Sam whispered.

"Ya think?" Bobby grumbled.

Too bad we didn't know exactly what was up because as we went to the other hunters houses the state of their bodies were even worse than Olivia's. Dean, Sam, Aiden and I exchanged nervous glances while Lucy and Abby looked nervous.

"What the hell is going on?" Abby demanded.

"Uh, guys, not to make thins worse but my abilities aren't working," Lucy whispered suddenly.

"What do you mean not working?" I asked.

"Normally I can see a few spirits everyday but I haven't seen them in hours," Lucy explained.

"So something's killing hunters and you abilities don't work," Dean clarified. "This is terrific."

A phone ringing disturbed the tense silence as we all sat thinking about what was going on. Dean answered his phone as we walked down the stairs all of us in a state of confusion.

"We were in Jackson," Dean said, talking to Bobby, "It's not pretty, he looks even worse than Olivia. What about you?" After a beat Dean continued, "What the hell is going on here, Bobby? Why did a bunch of ghosts suddenly wanna gank off-duty hunters….yeah, we're on our way."

"Well, does he have an idea?" Aiden asked.

"No, he's as clueless as we are," Dean frowned.

"This is bad," I whispered.

"Ya think, Hay?" Aiden huffed.

"Come on, guys, Bobby wants us back at his house ASAP, let's get the lead out," Dean ordered.

We had been on the road for a few hours when Dean pulled into a rest stop. The impala needed fuel and Abby and Lucy needed a bit of a rest. As we walked around I moved towards the rest room as everyone else went into the small supermarket. I was washing my hands when the bathroom began to cover itself in a foggy mist. I wiped it away with my hand and looked in the mirror before I let out a scream.

"Hello, Hailey," Trevor smiled. "It's been awhile."

"Trevor?" I whimpered. "Are you…"

"Dead?" Trevor scoffed. "Yeah, Hails, I am. In fact if I remember correctly you watched me die."

"Trevor, I'm sorry" I whispered.

"I know you are," Trevor nodded. "But the fact remains that you did this to me. My death is all your fault. You watched as Azazel tortured me, didn't lift a finger to help me."

"That's not true!" I retorted. "I tried everything but nothing worked."

"Lies! Trevor growled.

And then he did something I never thought Trevor would do, no matter what. He lunged at me throwing me up against the mirror before bouncing my head off the sink. I crumbled to the round as my vision danced before my eyes. I felt sick to my stomach as my vision spun and my head throbbed. Suddenly the door was thrown open and I heard the blast of a gun before I felt hands grab me by my sweatshirt and lift me up.

"Hailey, open your eyes," Dean ordered. "Hailey!"

"Stop yelling at me," I mumbled as I blinked up at him.

"Your pupils are dilated and you took a pretty nice knock against that sink," Dean said.

""M fine," I huffed.

"Yeah?" Dean smirked, placing me back on my feet.

I attempted to move out of the bathroom and in doing so nearly fell on my face but has fast reflexes managing to grab me before my head smacked against the pavement. Dean didn't say anything as he helped me out of the bathroom and over to where the other had gathered up.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Dean asked.

"None, you're carrying me," I grumbled. "Can you let me down now?"

"You gonna fall again?" Dean retorted but set me on my feet nonetheless.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"Trevor," I muttered.

"Trevor?" Aiden repeated. "You mean your ex-boyfriend, Trevor? The one that died?"

"Yeah, Aiden that one," I huffed. "Thanks for clearing that up for everyone."

"Why would Trevor ever come after you?" Lucy questioned. "He loves you."

"I don't know, Lucy, maybe because I got him killed?" I snarled.

"Hey!" Dean snapped pointing a finger a few inches away from my face. "Stop right there, Hailey Jade. Whatever the hell is going on it's happening now, okay? I can't get a hold of Bobby, so if you're not thinking answers, don't think at all. You understand me?"

"Yes, sir," I mumbled.

"Now whatever is going on, this thing isn't afraid to attack." Dean said. "Which is why I don't want you girls riding your bikes."

"We're not leaving them behind, Dean," Abby protested.

"We don't have time to argue about this," Dean contradicted. "Well call someone to collect your bikes now get in the car."

"Can't we just steal that?" Abby asked.

We all looked in the direction she was point at and I saw a beat up old pike up truck. Dean raised an eyebrow before shrugging.

"Fine," Dean acquiesced. "Just be careful."

Within a few minutes the motorcycles were strapped down to truck and then it was following after the impala. We drove all night to Bobby's stopping only once so that Sam could start to drive. Aiden and I had fallen asleep in the back so when the impala began to slow I stirred awake. We all grabbed our guns as we entered Bobby's house.

"Bobby?" Dean hissed.

When no answer came Dean hissed out a breath before regarding us all carefully, "Aiden, Hailey, and I will go upstairs. You three check outside. Be careful."

We scaled the stairs as I kept my eyes open for Bobby or any other spirits that could attack us.

"Bobby?" Dean hissed.

When every door but one slammed shut and the atmosphere became frigid I straightened up holding my gun, my eyes wary. The hair on the back of my neck began to stand up. When Dean began to egg on whatever or whoever was in the house.

"Dean Winchester," A familiar voice rang out and my heart clenched, "still so bossy. You don't recognize me?"

_Amidst all the turning, Meg was screaming, the demon obviously suffering under the exorcism as she shook uncontrollably._

"_Where is he?" Dean shouted over Sam_

"_You won't just take 'dead' for an answer, will you?" Meg hissed._

"_Where is he?!" Dean screamed._

"_Dead!" Meg growled._

"_No, he's not!" Dean barked. "He's not dead, he can't be." Almost as if sensing our eyes he looked at us, "What are you looking at?" and then he turned to Sam, "Keep reading."_

_As Sam continued to read the lights began to flicker. And then Meg stiffened and screamed as her chair began moving around the room, still trapped in the circle._

"_He will be!" Meg howled as her chair came to a sudden stop._

"_Wait!" Dean called. "What?"_

"_He's not dead," Meg sighed. "But, he will be after what we do to him."_

"_How do we know you're telling the truth?" Aiden asked._

"_You don't," Meg muttered._

"_Sam!" Dean growled._

"_A building!" Meg gasped before Sam could read anymore. "Okay? A building in Jefferson City."_

"_Missouri?" Dean spat. "Where? An address?"_

"_I don't know!" Meg whimpered._

"_And the demon, the one we're looking for, where is it?" Sam asked._

"_I don't know!" Meg whispered. "I swear! That's everything. That's all I know."_

_My stomach coiled as I took in her haggard appearance. Demon or no, she looked like crap. Tears streaked her face and she was breathing heavily._

"_Finish it," Dean ordered Sam._

"_What?" Meg demanded, outraged. "I told you the truth!"_

"_I don't care," Dean sneered._

"_You son of a bitch!" Meg snapped. "You promised."_

"_I lied!" Dean scorned before turning to Sam. What was startling was his voice didn't change in pitch as it normally would when he was talking to one of us. His voice was sharp and angry. And I could tell Sam didn't know what to do. "Sam?" _

_Sam still didn't say a word and Dean's eyes turned flinty. "Sam!" Dean growled. "Read."_

"_We can still use her," Sam countered. "Find out where the demon is."_

"_She doesn't know," Dean shout the idea down_

"_She lied!" Sam retorted._

"_Sam, there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there," Dean growled. "We've gotta help her. Finish it, Sam."_

_Sam looks a more than a bit reluctant but, wisely choosing not to fight Dean he began to read the last lines of the rite. At the end of the passage, Meg's head tilted up and she howled as the cloud of black smock rushed out of her body. With the demon no longer animating the body, it was clear that the girl was dead. No one could be that pale and still be alive. I looked over to Aiden who sucked in a shuddery breath. I put my hand on Aiden's arm and he gave me a watery smile. It was clear that Aiden hadn't told the truth about how exactly he knew Meg. The way he was looking at her body made me realize that he liked her. He nodded once, a gesture that neither Sam nor Dean caught and my heart broke just a little._

_This whole thing had started off as a need for revenge but as years went by it went from a quest for vengeance into an obsession. And in between now and then it was clear that a war had been started, and it was quickly racking up a body count with Meg being the most recent victim_.

"Meg?" Dean gaped.

"Hi," Meg grinned. "It's okay, I'm not a demon."

"Oh, that's comforting, you're dead," I rolled my eyes.

"You're the girl the demon possessed," Dean continued after shooting me a sharp look.

"Meg Masters," Meg introduced. "Nice to finally talk to you, when I'm not, you know, choking on my own blood."

"Meg," Aiden whispered.

"Aiden," Meg sighed.

The fire in her eyes lightened a little bit as she took in Aiden's presence. She walked over to him running a hand down his cheek. He leaned into her touch, closing his eyes. Dean glanced at me questioningly but I shook my head. It was Aiden's story to tell not mine.

"How could you?" Meg asked stepping back. "I was walking home one night and I got jumped by all this smoke. Next thing you know I'm a prisoner, in here." She tapped the side of her head, "now I was awake I had to watch while she murdered people."

"I'm sorry," Dean whispered.

Meg's head swiveled towards Dean as she rounded off on him. "Oh yeah? You're supposed to help people. I was trapped in there, screaming at you! 'Just help me, please!' You're supposed to help people, Dean. Why didn't you help me?"

"I'm sorry," Dean repeated.

"Stop saying you're sorry!" Meg yelled lashing out suddenly, slapping Dean and knocking him to the floor. She moved in a blur as she kicked Aiden to the floor as well. When she rounded on me her smiled turned sinister, "Little, baby Winchester. You know I heard so much about you. Sad to say, I'm not impressed."

Before I could comment she lifted her arm and I went flying back as a door opened. I landed hard on the ground as the door slammed closed and locked.

"Hay!" Aiden shouted.

"Aiden!" I screamed banging on the door.

I did everything I could to break down the door but it didn't budge an inch. I struggled to hear what was going on out in the hallway, managing only to hear the muted thuds of a scuffle outside suddenly there was a loud crash and I renewed my struggles trying to see if they were okay. They had to be okay.

"Hailey," A voice hissed from behind me.

"Trevor," I whimpered.

He didn't look anything like the boy I had loved. He looked evil, demonic even. A malevolent smile was painted across his face, his eyes promising retribution.

"What happened to you?" I whispered.

Trevor didn't dignify that with a response instead he flung me from one side of the room to the other before grabbing a handful of my hair and slamming me to the floor. My body ached as blood poured out of my nose. I grunted and whimpered as I struggled to my feet, but every time I tried, Trevor would kick me right back down. When he hoisted me back to my feet I noticed a brand on his hand that hadn't been there when he was alive. What was that? I didn't get to try and figure that one out as he slammed me back against the ground.

I crawled away from him and towards Emma Singer's dresser where I had spotted an iron letter opener years ago. I prayed it was still there as I moved unsteadily to my feet. I grabbed it quickly before throwing it backwards. With a hiss and a blast of vapor Trevor was gone and the door was thrown open.

"Hailey!" Aiden rushed in grabbing me by the shoulders. "Jesus, Hay, you alright?"

"Where's Dean?" I demanded after I made sure Aiden was okay.

"I'm fine, Hails," Dean said

"Guys?" Abby shouted from downstairs. "We found Bobby! He's okay!"

I was wedged between Dean and Aiden as we all walked back down the stairs and into the study. Everyone was sitting around Bobby's desk, while Bobby was reading a book.

"So, they're all people we know?" Sam asked.

"Not just know," Dean corrected. "People we couldn't save. Hey, I saw something on Meg, did she have a tattoo when she was alive?"

"I don't think so," Sam said.

"No," Aiden sighed. "No she didn't."

"It was like a mark on her hand," Dean explained. "Almost like a brand."

"I saw a mark on Trevor too," I responded.

"What did it look like?" Bobby asked.

I walked up to the desk grabbing a spare piece of paper as I sketched out the intricate mark before holding it up to compare with Dean after his nod of approval I showed it to Bobby who hissed out a breath as he took the small piece of paper.

"I may have seen this before," Bobby sighed.

Before any of us could ask what exactly the mark meant. Or why we were suddenly having some not so nice reunions the electricity began to flicker and spark.

"We gotta move," Bobby ordered, as he grabbed a few books.

"Okay," Sam nodded. "Where are we going?"

"Some place safe, ya idjit," Bobby rolled his eyes.

He passed a few books to Abby and Lucy as Dean handed Sam a gun that he was fixing. Bobby led us down to his basement and into a room I had never seen before, which was odd since I had always thought I've known this house and lot backwards and forwards since I was seven years old. Bobby opened a door that was made entirely of iron and as he ushered us inside this hidden room I realized the entire room was iron and looked like it had been coated in a layer of salt too.

The room was fairly big, holding a weapons locker, a small cot, three desks and a poster of a woman in a bathing suit. As we all looked around I saw that there were also two Devil's traps that were on the floor and the ceiling.

"Bobby," Sam gaped. "This is…"

"Solid iron," Bobby said. "Completely coated in salt. One hundred percent ghost proof."

"You built a panic room?" Sam smirked.

"I had a weekend off," Bobby shrugged.

"Bobby," Dean grinned.

"What?" Bobby asked.

"You're awesome," Dean said.

We all were quickly assigned tasks as Bobby headed over to one of the desks. Abby, Lucy, and I grabbed a book each and began to read as my brothers made bullets. It was quiet for a little while, the steady turning of pages and the banging that resulted from packing the salt into the casing but it was comforting. So far we were all okay, which meant we all had a chance of surviving whatever this was.

"See, this is why I can't get behind god," Dean said suddenly.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

"If he doesn't exist, fine, bad crap happens to good people, that's how it is. There's no rhyme or reason just random, horrible, evil. I get it, okay? I can roll with that. But if he is out there, what's wrong with him? Where the hell is he while all these decent people are getting torn to shreds? How does he live with himself? You know, why doesn't he help?"

"Because that was what we were supposed to do," Abby answered. "We were supposed to stop all of this. The Trinity failed and that's on us."

"I'm not blaming you," Dean said.

"Why not?" I asked. "You're blaming God but he's the one who made the Trinity and gave us our abilities and we failed."

"Okay, enough," Bobby ordered firmly. "I have something."

"What?" Sam asked after we looked at Abby, Lucy, and I warningly.

"The symbol you saw, the brand on the ghosts is called the Mark of the Witness," Bobby stated.

"Witness?" Sam repeated.

"Witness to what?" Aiden asked.

"The unnatural," Bobby shrugged. "None of them died what you'd call ordinary deaths. See, these ghosts, they were forced to rise. They woke up in agony. They were like rabid dogs. It ain't their fault. Someone rose them, on purpose."

"Who would do that?" Abby asked.

"Does it look like I know?" Bobby retorted. "But whoever it was used a spell so powerful that it left a mark, a brand on their souls. Whoever did this had big plans. It's called "The Rising of the Witnesses." It figures into an ancient prophecy."

"Wait, wait," Dean demanded. "What book is that prophecy from?"

"Well, the widely distributed version is just for tourists, you know?" Bobby joked before turning serious once more, "It's Revelations. This is a sign."

"A sign of what?" We all asked at the same time.

"The apocalypse," Bobby said.

Abby, Lucy, and I looked at each other. What Castiel had said was true. Hell actually found a way around our prophecy.

"Apocalypse?" Dean repeated. "The apocalypse, apocalypse. The four horsemen, pestilence, five dollar a gallon gas, apocalypse?"

"That's the one," Bobby nodded. "The rise of the witnesses is a mile marker."

"Okay, so what do we do now?" Sam questioned.

"Road trip," Dean said. "Grand canyon, Star Trek experience. Bunny Ranch."

"Yeah, right, Dean," I scoffed.

"First things first," Bobby huffed. "How about we survive our friends out there?"

"Any ideas aside from staying in this room until judgment day?"

"There's a spell," Bobby said pointing at the book he was reading. "to send the witnesses back to rest. Should work…"

"Should," Aiden grumbled. "Terrific."

"If I translate it right," Bobby said glaring at Aiden sharply. "I think I got everything we need here at the house."

"Any chance we you got everything we need here in this room?" Dean asked.

"You thought our luck as gonna start now, all of a sudden," Bobby snorted. "Spell's gotta be cast over an open fire."

"The fireplace in the library," Sam sighed.

"Exactly," Bobby said. "Let's go."

We all grabbed our shotguns and loaded our pockets with enough shells to go around. When we were all ready to go.

"Cover each other and aim careful. Don't run out of ammo until I'm done or they'll shred you," Bobby ordered. "Ready?"

We all nodded the go ahead and made our way out of the panic room and around to go up the steps. Waiting at the top was someone named Ronald. He worked at a bank that was in the immediate vicinity of a shape shifter problem. He was caught in the crossfire. I didn't know much about what exactly happened. Sam and Dean worked that job solo. I think I was sick and Aiden was stuck looking after me but that hunt tore Dean up he bonded with Ronald. The sad part was Ronald would've been fine until the local swat team got involved and turned the entire thing into a clusterfuck.

"Hey, Dean, remember me?" Ronald asked.

"Ronald, huh?" Dean sighed. "With the laser eyes?"

I shot a confused glance to Sam who ignored me. He mentioned that the guy who died had come up with his own theories as to what was going on. Ronald figured that it was a mandroid. Hell, I guess it could happen.

"I wish I could say it's good to see you," Dean continued.

"I'm dead because of you," Ronald snapped. "You were supposed to help me."

There was a sudden blast as we all flinched before looking at Bobby in surprise.

"If you're gonna shoot shoot, don't talk," Bobby stated.

We moved quickly not encountering any more spirits as we drew a circle of salt around the desk and near the fireplace. Dean tried to get a fire started but Abby beat him to it, waiting until he had placed the logs inside before igniting them which earned her a loud rebuke of 'Abigail!'

"Just trying to be helpful, Dean," Abby smirked.

"Thanks," Dean growled sarcastically. "Don't do that again."

"Okay."

"Sam, Aiden, upstairs, linen closet," Bobby ordered. "it's a red hex box. It'll be heavy."

"Got it," Aiden and Sam replied at once and moved quickly to go and get it.

With a flutter two girls appear in the living room. Judging by the flinch from Bobby they had been the spirits that had taken him when we first got there.

"Bobby," One of the girls growled.

Before anyone could move Dean reacted and shot the girl.

"Kitchen, cutlery drawer," Bobby said to Dean. "It's got a false bottom. Hemlock, opium, wormwood. Abby you go with him."

"Opium?" Dean asked.

"Go!" Bobby snapped.

As Abby and Dean went off to find what Bobby wanted Lucy and I stood guard making sure that Bobby was protected.

"Bobby, you walked right by use while that monster ate us all up," The same girl growled.

"You could've saved us," The other said solemnly.

Lucy and I reacted at once and shot them while Bobby drew a symbol out of chalk. When the kitchen door slammed shut my head snapped towards it and I raised my arm attempting to shove the door back open but it wouldn't give.

"Dean!" Bobby shouted while Lucy called for Abby.

"We're all right!" Dean called.

I heard things being knocked around when all of a sudden a loud bang came out of the kitchen. Before I even had time to worry my brothers and Abby were striding through the kitchen and back into the protective circle. It was almost as if the witnesses knew what we were doing, a shot was fired nearly every second as Bobby got the incantation ready. We were firing and firing until we ran out of bullets. The girls and I had daggers that were pure iron, my brothers weren't so lucky. Sam got pinned by one of Bobby's dressers while both Aiden and Dean got thrown into a wall. Suddenly Meg appeared behind Bobby and punched through his chest.

"Bobby!" We all cried moving at once.

It looked like he was in pain but he still could order us around. Dean caught the bowl right in time and tossed it into the fireplace. The fire turned blue and all the ghosts disappear. My heart clenched as Bobby crumbled to the ground.

"Bobby?" Dean asked as he and Sam helped him up.

"I'm okay," Bobby muttered.

We all looked around almost in an awed disbelief that it was over. As we began to clean up I hoped that their souls were laid to rest. I didn't want Trevor suffering for me anymore. When my phone began to ring I paused from where I was cleaning up the salt to answer.

"Winchester?" I answered.

"Hailey, it's Tasha, I've got some bad news," Natasha whispered.

"Taz, what is it?" I demanded, ignoring Aiden's gesture for me to give him the phone.

"Hailey, it's Darren, he's in the hospital," Natasha stated.

I stumbled into the desk, placing on of my hands on top, "Is he alive?"

"He's in critical condition," Natasha said. "Some spirits when after him."

"Where is he?" I growled.

"Minnesota," Natasha said.

"Okay," I replied.

"Hails, don't do anything stupid!" Natasha pleaded. "From what I can tell he's fine."

I shut off my phone and grabbed my bag before attempting to walk outside.

"Just where do you think you're going?" Sam asked blocking my way.

"Darren's hurt, he needs me," I said looking up at Sam.

"You're not going anywhere until morning," Sam responded. "You're exhausted."

"Sammy, please," I pleaded. "I need to be there. He has to be okay."

"Hailey, everything's going to be okay," Sam soothed bringing me into a hug as I began to cry. "Darren's a tough kid, he'll be alright."

I crumbled into Sam's long frame my fears of loosing anyone again and seeing Trevor finally taking their toll. Sam led me back to the living room and made me sit on the couch as he sat next to me. Looking around I took comfort in the fact that for now the people in this room, my family were out of harms way if only for an instant. Because if Bobby was right that meant the apocalypse was looming in the distance threatening to destroy anything I ever loved. One thing was for sure I wasn't going down without a fight.


	40. Don’t Breathe a Word

**Chapter Forty: Don't Breathe a Word**

"_Our biggest regrets are not for the things we have done but for the things we haven't done and said that might've saved someone we cared about."_

It's amazing how slow time can feel when you're waiting for something. Sleep was nearly impossible so I gave up after only a few hours. I grimaced as I sat in the dark trying to calm my anxiousness. I knew that Darren's hospitalizations probably had something to do with the rising of the witnesses but that didn't make me feel any better. Not after remembering the state of the other hunters we had found.

Natasha had assured me that he was okay but I didn't know exactly what her version of okay even was. All I knew was that I was in South Dakota when I should be in Minnesota with Darren. I got up from my sleeping bag, no longer content to even pretend that I would be able to sleep. I sighed as I got out the coffee maker and began to make myself some coffee. When it finally came out I grabbed a cup and drank slowly. The sunlight was beginning to leak through the blinds as I made my way out onto Bobby's porch.

"What are you doing up?"

I spun around on my heel in surprise. It was only around four thirty in the morning and I was not expecting anyone else to be up. Leaning against the threshold of the front door was Bobby. He looked so different when he wasn't wearing his trucker hat and vest. He was wearing a button down shirt and a pair of jeans as he regarded me coolly, reminding me that his question remained unanswered.

"Couldn't sleep," I shrugged. "Guess I don't do well with Apocalypses."

"Hails," Bobby sighed.

"What?" I retorted. "You can honestly tell me that you're handling this whole thing okay?"

"No but it isn't anything to lose sleep over, Hails, because there is nothing we can do," Bobby replied.

"There has to be something," I contradicted. "I wouldn't be here if there wasn't."

'What are you talking about?" Bobby asked.

"Castiel said that angels created my prophecy," I muttered. "Meaning if there was absolutely nothing that could be done then why would I be here. It would be a waste of time. I would be a waste."

"No, you wouldn't," Bobby growled. "And what Cas told you is bullshit. You're not here because you're some legend, you're here because you're Dean, Aiden, and Sam's little sister, the only daughter of John and Mary Winchester and I'll be damned if you're going to sit here and tell me you're a waste of space. You hear me?"

"Yes, sir," I mumbled.

"Good," Bobby said, "now can you tell me what is going in that pretty little head of yours?"

"I'm worried about Darren," I replied. "He's in a hospital and I don't know if he's okay."

"He's fine, Hailey," Bobby stated firmly, 'No news is good news, remember?"

I nodded my head as Bobby rubbed my shoulder. He pushed me towards the door and I got the unspoken order to go back inside. I realized just how cold the morning was and as Bobby shut the door I flushed lightly as I went back to the living room.

"Oh, and Hails, next time you try the no sleeping thing you should remember that we hunters can smell coffee in even the deepest of sleeps."

"Got it," I smiled.

It was another hour before anyone started to wake up. I watched as Sam got up heading immediately towards the coffee as Aiden and Dean began to stir. Lucy and Abby were the last two awake and as they all drank their coffee I became even more anxious to leave.

"Did you get any sleep at all?" Dean asked.

"Not really," I sighed

"Hails," Dean reproached.

"I tried to," I retorted, frowning. "There was a lot on my mind."

"You're sleeping in the car," Dean ordered. "Guys, ten minutes, let's go!"

Various retorts echoed through out the house as people began to pack. When the impala was all loaded up we headed out with both Lucy and Abby trailing behind us. I settled into the backseat and fell asleep, knowing that I had no other option unless I wanted Dean badgering me the entire way to Minnesota. When I woke up we were at the Mercy Medical Center. I stretched as Abby and Lucy came up next to us, splitting a spot between them.

Together we all walked into the hospital and I fought back a wave of panic. I had always hated hospitals but I hated them even more because now I always flashbacked to the accident with Dad or that hunt gone awry with Lucy.

"How may I help you?" The receptionist asked without looking up from the computer.

"What room is Darren Whitman in?" Dean asked looking behind him.

We made up quite the group with all six of us. Aiden had pulled me into his side as his arm wrapped around my shoulders. I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly waiting for the receptionist to answer.

"Who wants to know?" A irritated voice barked instead of the polite receptionist.

"Charles?" Dean asked.

"Winchester?" The man laughed. "Jesus, boy it's good to see you."

The man who had before sounded so aggravated, flipped on a dime as he closed the distance between us. Charles Whitman was Darren's father. His family had been hunting for generations, making the Whitman's one of the biggest names in hunting. He had quite the temper, having a reputation nearly as bad as my own fathers. But he was a total teddy bear to those who knew him. He had silver eyes, a Whitman family trademark, along with the mischievous smile that Darren had inherited. The fifty one year old man grabbed Dean into a firm hug before going down the line. He paused when he came to me and looked me over.

"So, this is the infamous Hailey I've been hearing about. Darren's failed to mention that he was talking about Hailey Winchester," Charles smiled hugging me tightly.

"Hi, Charles ," I greeted.

"Now who are these two?" Charles asked. "Did John have two more girls when I wasn't looking?"

"Well, you have been out of the country for the past seven years," Aiden teased. "But, this is Lucy Mackenzie and Abigail Chase. They're not Winchesters by blood."

"The Trinity?" Charles asked pitching his voice low.

"Yup," Abby, Lucy, and I answered at once.

Charles looked at us for critically for a moment before smiling and turning towards my brothers.

"I'm sorry about John, I heard he passed, great man, amazing hunter," Charles stated softly.

Charles and dad were close and I could tell how much it had hurt Charles to not be there when everything had gone down. That was the price of fighting the Supernatural abroad though. I hadn't even known that they were stateside, Darren hadn't mentioned it. As my brothers and Charles caught up, I saw a petite woman striding forward. She had dark icy blue eyes, black hair, and a pale complexion.

"Charles ," The woman growled.

"Honey, you remember the Winchesters," Charles smiled, pulling the woman into her side.

The woman grinned eyeing each one of us before moving onto the text.

"You all have sure grown up," She smirked.

"Meredith, how are you?" Aiden asked politely.

"I've been better, kiddo," Meredith replied honestly. "What are y'all doing here?"

Meredith Whitman had been born and raised in Texas. She should've had a completely different life than the one she had. But a Poltergeist had taken everything away from her. It did give her a brighter future. It was on that particular jaunt where Meredith met William. After that Poltergeist had killed her family she swore that something like that wouldn't happen to anyone else. She was a great hunter now and has been for as long as I can remember. Although she was nearly fifty she had a better shot then some of the newer hunters in the game.

"You come to see Darren?" Meredith asked knowingly.

"Yes ma'am," I responded.

"He's alright, sugar, just resting," Meredith soothed pulling me into a loose hug. "Those spirits were something else."

"They weren't normal spirits," Dean stated softly.

"Excuse me?" Charles demanded.

"It was the Rising of the Witness," Dean sighed. "There's a lot you have to know."

"Not now," Meredith stated firmly. "We'll talk later."

It seemed that for a moment Charles was going to contradict but chose not too. The parallels to Dad at the moment were overwhelming. Dad also could get so focused on hunting that he lost sight of everything else, even if one of us were hurt. Seeing his best friend do the exact same thing made old wounds open all over again. Tears filled my eyes but Meredith thought that it was because of Darren and chose to lead me to Darren's room. The others hung back respecting my need to see Darren alone. When we got to the hallway where Darren's room was located Meredith pointed it out before going back to join the others.

I took a deep breath before walking into Darren's room. The room was dark, with some sunlight filtering in through the closed blinds. I stepped backwards in surprise when I saw two more people from the past. I guess that was going to keep happening until I had found all members of the Whitman family. The Whitman family as well as my family called the roadhouse home for the longest time. We all grew up together before Charles decided to move the country abroad to help out there.

"What's the matter, Hails, looks like you've seen a ghost?"

"Very funny, Alex," I frowned.

Alex left his brothers bedside as he closed the distance between us. Alexander Whitman was the oldest of the three Whitman children. He was thirty years old with the exact same grin and eyes that his father and brother just had. He was a little shorter that Darren at six foot one but Alex was more muscular. Alex was also Dean's best friend. When we were all together you wouldn't often find one without the other.

"You've grown up, baby girl," Alex smirked his deep voice washing over me as he pulled me into a hug. "You're also dating my little brother, that's cute. I remember a time where you two couldn't stand each other."

"Obviously things have changed," I smirked. "And we didn't hate each other. We just liked to argue."

"I believe that's an understatement, Hails," A girl smirked not leaving Darren's bedside.

Her hand was holding Darren's as her silver eyes didn't move from his closed ones. She glanced at the scene before going back to what she was doing, which was talking to Darren quietly. Marley Whitman was the only daughter of Meredith and Charles Whitman. She was twenty-four years old and was five foot eight. Although she was the smallest Whitman she had a dangerous temper and the skills to back it up. She was a great hunter and was very protective of her family especially Darren.

"Uh-huh," Alex agreed. "You alone? Or are your brothers somewhere in here?"

"What do you think?" I questioned.

"Waiting room, downstairs?" Alex asked.

"Of course," I shrugged.

"Then I'll give you and lover boy some time alone," Alex said. "No rough stuff. He's still recuperating."

"You're such an ass," Darren grumbled from the bed.

"Come on, Marley," Alex prodded.

Alex looked behind him and for just a moment his expression softened, affection in his eyes. Three sets of silver eyes connected and had a conversation before Alex turned back around. He tapped me on the shoulder as he headed down to where everyone else was waiting. Marley squeezed Darren's hand before rising to her feet.

"He's going to be okay, Hails," Marley whispered as she gave me a hug. "My little brother might be a baby but he's stronger than he looks."

"Thanks, Mare," Darren muttered.

Marley laughed as she gave Darren a grin before following in the same direction Alex had taken moments before.

"Baby," Darren smiled.

"Dare," I whimpered.

Suddenly the light in the room switched on and I saw how truly lucky Darren was that he was alive, let alone conscious. His arm was wrapped in plaster and nearly all of his skin was bruised deep purple and black splotches that seemed painful just by looking at them.

"I look worse than I feel," Darren said. "Hails, baby, please don't cry. Come here."

I walked on shaky legs until I was right next to Darren's bed. He reached out for my hand and I let him take it. He tugged gently until I was laying in the bed next to him. I was very careful not to jostle him to much as I leaned my head on his chest. I felt his chin on the top of my head as he sighed.

"I was worried about you," Darren confessed as we laced our hands together.

"Why/" I asked.

"The ghost that attacked me was apparently you're ex boyfriend," Darren confessed. "Who didn't die here? So, I don't know exactly how he got there."

"Rise of the Witnesses," I whispered.

"What?" Darren questioned.

"It's an apparent sign of Apocalypse," I explained. "Someone rose spirits of people who witnessed unnatural deaths. Whoever did this chose victims we couldn't save."

"Oh," Darren huffed. "That's comforting."'

"I'm so sorry," I replied.

"Don't be, Hails," Darren sighed. "I'm fine."

I don't know how long Darren and I laid there in complete silence. There was really nothing else left to say. We needed to stay together, though. We needed to make sure that we weren't going anywhere.

**Sam's Point of View**

It was nice to see the Whitman's again, especially after it had been so long. We had all grown up together and I'm sure people were as amused as I am that Darren and Hailey got together. If there was anyone I'd want my little sister to be with it was Darren Whitman. He knew what he was doing when it came to hunting, knew what it took to protect what was his. I trusted him, we all did.

Meredith always joked with my father that they'd be in-laws soon enough. Dad would always smile and laugh saying how it would never happen. There was a time where Darren and Hailey hated each other. Mostly because Hailey was a sore loser and didn't really understand that by the time Dad let her start training, Darren had been training for twice as long. When Hailey got better at sparring her and Darren's relationship improved. They were close by the time he moved away with his family.

I was barely listening as Dean explained to Meredith and Charles what happened. He explained what the Rising of the Witnesses were and what it meant. Apparently there were sixty-six seals that had to be broken before Lucifer could rise. The fact that there were seals, I hadn't known before, and I wondered how exactly Dean had found that out. The way he woke up this morning was the same way he did when he startled himself out of nightmares. There wasn't much of a chance to ask him about it when he had ordered us to be packed up and ready to go.

"I'm gonna get some food," I muttered. "You want anything?"

Both Dean and Aiden shook their heads, as did Meredith and Charles as well as Alex and Marley. I was glad that Marley was back because if Alex was Dean's best friend then Marley was mine. We were close both sharing the same desire for something over than this life. Marley had accepted it but understood that I had to go to school.

I walked down the hallway towards the elevator and took it to the lower level. I walked through the dining hall only really getting a cup of coffee. I didn't feel really comfortable in hospitals and to even contemplate eating in one made my skin crawl.

"Hi, Sam," A young women smiled. She was about five ten with an angular face, and piercing blue eyes. She had a small upturned nose and long brown hair.

"How did you find me, Ruby?" I asked.

"I have my sources," Ruby shrugged before turning serious. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" I questioned.

"Did an angel save Dean?" Ruby demanded.

"You heard," I said.

"Yeah, who hasn't," Ruby scoffed.

"What's going on?" I asked as Ruby began to shift looking very uncomfortable.

"Sam, they're angels. I'm a demon," Ruby snarled lowly, "They're not gonna care if I'm being helpful. They smite first and ask questions later."

"What do you know about them?" I wondered.

"Not much," Ruby sighed. "I've never met one and I don't really want to. All I know is they scare the holy hell out of me. Be careful, Sam."

"I'm not afraid of angels, Ruby," I rolled my eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Aiden," I warned.

"What the hell, Sam?" Aiden demanded. "Dean's back. You don't need this hell bitch anymore."

"Hey!" Ruby protested.

"Shut up, whore," Aiden growled.

"You're causing a scene, Aiden," I growled.

"You want a scene?" Aiden smiled sardonically. "How about I tell Dean exactly what you've been doing with this bitch? Or that Ruby's alive in general."

"You wouldn't dare," I hissed.

"Give me a second, Sammy, my phone's ringing," Aiden smirked pulling out his phone. "Oh, hi, Dean. Yeah, I found him. He actually has some company…"

I ripped the phone out of his hand and disconnected the line, glaring daggers at my little brother who returned the challenge tenfold.

"What you're doing is wrong, Sam," Aiden growled. "I thought you said some things are more important then revenge."

"Stop it," I snapped.

"Sam," Ruby hissed.

Aiden's eyes turned into solid iron as he glared down at Ruby menacingly. Before he could make a move on her I shoved him backwards. His eyes went cold as he lunged at me punching me hard in the jaw before kicking me in the stomach. All around us people gasped in surprise. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ruby run out of the dining hall and Aiden and I kept exchanging kicks and punches. Some of mine hit their target before I tackled him to the ground trying to pin him.

"Code blue!" A voice began to say over and over again.

Suddenly two massive orderlies burst through the front doors pulling Aiden and I away from one another. We could've easily incapacitated them but for some reason we chose not to. Maybe it was because the doors burst open again this time only one person had thrown both massive doors open: Dean and there was no question about it he was pissed.

"Sir, do you know these gentlemen?" One orderly asked Dean.

"Yes, sir," Dean responded politely. "They're my little brothers."

"There's no fighting on this property," The other one snapped. "Would you rather us escort them off the premises or you?"

"I'll do it," Dean replied.

The arms restraining me fell away and I watched as the other orderly release Aiden. We both glared at each other before following after Dean. He didn't say a word as he led us through the hospital. We were almost to the entrance when we saw Hailey in the distance. She was standing by Alex and Marley looking at us angrily. Alex gave her a hug goodbye as Marley patted her on the shoulder before she fell into step with us.

We all got into the impala driving away from the hospital to find the first motel we could. I noticed that both motorcycles were long gone but when we found a motel we figured that Abby and Lucy had both gotten a room. We got the typical one room with two beds and a roll away. We had barely set foot in the room when everything exploded.

"What were you two thinking?" Dean demanded. "You decided to brawl in the middle of a hospital dining hall. Have you two lost your goddamn minds?"

"It was a simple misunderstanding," I replied.

"Really?" Dean scoffed. "Is that why Aiden decided to give you a nice black eye?"

Aiden and I glared at one another again before Dean angrily cleared his throat. "Whatever it is you two have going on you better get over it and fast. You both know better than to fight in a hospital of all places."

Aiden and I nodded once before going off in separate directions. I went to get food and I didn't notice that Hailey was trailing behind me.

"What the hell, Sam?" Hailey demanded sharply when we were far enough away from the room. "Coma girl found you in the hospital?"

"She had questions, Hailey," I sighed.

"Yeah, and I'm sure that Dean has a few now as well," she noted. "What did she want?"

"Asking if it was true that angel's saved Dean from the pit," I shrugged.

"Are you still…"

"Don't," I warned. "Hailey, don't."

"You might as well tell, Dean," She responded. "You know he's going to find out and if it's not sooner and from you he's going to be pissed."

"He's going to be pissed regardless," I noted.

"You think I don't know that?" Hailey sneered. "You messed up, Sam. You let your grief and need for revenge make the most selfish decision you've ever made."

"Stop it, Hailey," I ordered sharply.

"All I'm saying is you have one week to tell Dean," Hailey exclaimed. "Or I will."

Before I could say a word, Hailey had turned on her heel and stormed back to the motel room. Even in all my anger I realized exactly how much Hailey had grown up. She was also completely unafraid to go toe-to-toe with any of us and even with our father. I sighed as I turned back around heading towards the nearest diner with Hailey's words echoing in my mind. I knew in no uncertain terms that she was being completely serious.

**Hailey's Point of View**

After dropping an ultimatum on Sam I moved back to the motel room where Dean was sitting at the dinette table looking stunned. I frowned as I moved through the room and knocked on the bathroom door. The lock popped and I slipped inside.

"Sit down," I whispered.

Aiden sat down on the closed toilet seat as I grabbed a first aid kit. I moved quickly running a washcloth under warm water. Aiden was watching me as I began to wash the dried blood off his face. I brushed antiseptic over wounds that had split open.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Been better," Aiden shrugged.

"What happened to falling into line?" I questioned.

"Orders been reestablished," Aiden smirked. "It's time to cut the hell bitch loose."

"I've given him a week either he tells Dean or I will," I smiled.

"That's my girl," Aiden praised.

"Why do I get the feeling that everything is about to get worse?" I whispered. "Dean's not going to react well and Sam doesn't think he's doing anything wrong."

"I don't know what the tell you, Hails," Aiden confessed. "But things will work themselves out. It'll be okay."

"I hope you're right, Aiden," I sighed.

"Me too, Hay, me too," Aiden responded bringing me into a hug.


	41. Metamorphosis

**Chapter Forty-One: Metamorphosis**

"_Trust takes a lifetime to gain, but only a second to lose forever."_

I was starting to become very use to waking up in the middle of the night. What I wasn't use to, however, was waking up and noticing that there is two of my brothers aren't in the room. I blinked blearily as I looked around the room trying to figure out if they were in the bathroom or not.

I smacked Aiden on the shoulder and he startled awake glaring at me sharply, "What?"

"Where's Sam?" I asked. "Or Dean?"

Sam had came back about ten minutes after I finished fixing Aiden up. He had take-out from the local diner and we ate both quietly and quickly before going our separate ways. Dean and I watched television while Aiden went on the computer. Sam had left again this time using the excuse of wanting something to drink and to get us a little more spending money. I knew that while it was true that we did need some money, it was just an excuse to meet up with Ruby. Aiden and I didn't say a word and soon went to bed. But I wasn't sure if Sam ever came back. Dean, however, had gone to bed when Aiden and I did.

"Who cares," Aiden shrugged turning over to go back to sleep until I poked him hard in the back, glaring at him until he amended his answer, "No, he didn't. I think Dean went out to look for him."

I sighed not really liking Aiden's explanation but choosing to accept it for now. I turned over trying to go back to sleep but the door burst open five minutes later I grabbed the knife under my pillow as I flipped myself out of bed. As the light flicked on, I realized that it wasn't an intruder but Sam. Aiden also got up looking at Sam for an explanation.

"What the hell is your problem?" Sam demanded rounding on me in seconds. "You told me that I had a week and then you turn around and tell Dean anyway? You told him where I was."

"I didn't do anything," I replied. "and I didn't know where you were either."

"Then how come Dean knew exactly where to find Ruby and I?" Sam snapped.

"I don't know, Sam," I retorted. "But maybe you should've stopped sneaking around then maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"You know what, Hailey, I've had it up to here with your superior attitude," Sam barked coming closer to tower over me. "You're on the lowest rung so stop it before I stop it for you."

"I have a superior attitude?" I scoffed. "Who is the one who thinks that this is their quest for revenge? We all want Lilith dead, Sam. But we're not sneaking around with some hellbitch to do it!"

The sickening sound of flesh against flesh erupted through the relative quiet of the room snapping my head to the side as Sam slapped me across the face. His chest was heaving as he glared at me angrily. Aiden chose at that moment to get up entirely attempting to get in between Sam and I.

"Sam!" Aiden snapped. "Hailey, don't!"

It was too late I glared at Sam mavolently as I lightly prodded the now red mark. I then raised my hands and shoved sending Sam flying backwards and into a wall where I pinned him to it. Tears welled in my eyes as I fought them back as Aiden moved to intervene before blood was shed.

"You know what hurts the most, Sammy?" I asked, ignoring Aiden entirely. "It's that the Sam I know is gone and I want him back. This family needs him back not this shell of what he use to be. You use to be the most morally sound person in the family and you're throwing everything away. I'm ashamed of you."

"Hails," Sam whispered.

"You don't get to call me that, Sam, not anymore," I hissed. "And I'll tell you this one time if you ever put your hands on me like you just did I don't care if we're blood I'll kill you."

"Hailey!" Aiden reprimanded as I let Sam slid back to his feet. He slid all the way down to his butt as he stared at me.

The wounded expression that Sam gave me would've normally cut me to the quick but I was too angry to care. Aiden was glancing between Sam and I obviously trying to figure out what he had missed to make the relationship between Sam and I so strained. I moved towards the door after grabbing my wallet, cellphone, and jacket unsurprised to see Abby and Lucy waiting outside with uneasy glances.

"What's going on?" Abby asked as the door was thrown open with a great gust of wind as Abby and Lucy stormed into the room.

"I don't want to talk about it," I grumbled. "Aiden, you coming?"

"Uh, sure," Aiden shrugged.

**Sam's Point of View**

I didn't even realize how bad things had gotten. I didn't notice how much Aiden and Hailey hated Ruby. They it bothered them that I trusted her and that she was allowed near me. We were taught to hate demons and with good reason, they were evil. But Ruby was different she cared about me and cared about my family. Aiden and Hailey just couldn't see that and in the process of trying to avenge Dean's demise a wedge formed between Aiden, Hailey, and I. Seeing such hatred in my little sister's eyes as she glared me telling me that she wished I was dead because watching me become a stranger was so much more painful.

Aiden and I had come to blows, something that barely ever happened and now Dean knew the truth. The way he had looked at me was exactly why I hadn't told him in the first place. That angry judgmental look before he had turned on his heel and left me alone in that warehouse. I had never felt so alone not even when I was at Stanford away from everything and everyone I ever knew.

_I had just exorcised the demon from a man, the shell of the person slumped forward in exhaustion, and I knew he would need a hospital at least. We were no closer to finding Lilith and that was one of the most frustrating things. I began to help the man out of the chair as he began to stir walking him towards the door. Before I got there the door swung open and someone walked through. I'd know that someone anywhere, it was Dean. I was stunned. How had he found me?_

"_So, anything you wanna tell me, Sam?" Dean asked quietly._

_I sucked in a breath knowing that when Dean was really angry, like really, really angry he didn't yell or anything. He was calm and controlled in most ways that was so much worse._

"_Dean, just hold on, okay," I pleaded. "Just let me…"_

"_You're gonna say, 'let me explain?'" Dean asked lightly. "You can explain this? How about this? Why don't you start with who she is, and what the hell is she doing here?"_

_My heart fell into my stomach as Dean looked at me hard before looking at Ruby who was starring back completely calm, she even smiled as she responded to Dean, "It's good to see you again, Dean?"_

"_Ruby?" Dean asked. "Is that Ruby?"_

_No one answers him as I stare nervously and Ruby's smile begins to fade. Suddenly Dean lunged grabbing hold of her and slamming her up against the wall with her knife at her throat. I moved quickly grabbing it out of his hand._

"_Don't!" I protested._

_Before Dean could turn to me, Ruby grabbed him by the jacket, pinning him against the wall._

"_Ruby, stop it!" I demanded._

_She and Dean glared at each other irately before Ruby let him go. Dean rose to his full height looking completely furious._

"_Well, aren't you an obedient little bitch?" Dean sneered._

_Ruby doesn't respond instead she helps the man who was recently possessed helping escort him to the nearest hospital. Before I could even speak, fix this mess somehow Dean pinned me with one angry disappointed look before stomping out of the door Ruby just went through._

In the process of revenge I had lost my family in the process. I had to get them back, I had to get them to see reason that I was doing what I was doing for good reasons. That once Lilith was dead everything was going to be okay again. I just hoped they would listen to me.

**Dean's Point of View**

I didn't know what to do. To find out that Sammy was not only using his abilities but was freely associating with a demon was a little too much to stomach. Exactly what had gone on when I was downstairs. How had could things have gotten this bad this quickly. It was a demon, what the hell was Sammy thinking?

"Dean?" Alex asked. "What are you doing here?"

I just looked at him. I had never been so relieved to have my best friend stateside. We had stayed in touch when Alex had been abroad but it wasn't the same thing as being face to face. He knew about how I had been to hell and was back. I don't know which of my siblings had told him but I was grateful.

"Dude, are you okay?" Alex questions after a moment. "Dean?"

I didn't know what to say, didn't know what I could say. The Sam I had raised he was six years old was suddenly gone replaced with this shell of a man who only wanted revenge for what had been taken from him.

"Dean, are your brothers and sister okay?" Alex attempted to guess. "Dude, you're scaring me. What happened?"

"Sammy," I managed to croak out.

"What about him?" Alex demanded ushering me into his motel room.

"He's associating with this demon," I murmured feeling Alex stiffened as he continued to led me into the room. "He was exorcising other demons with his mind."

"I thought you said Sam had premonitions," Alex whispered.

"Things have changed," I muttered. "Alex, I watched him do it. He just held up his hand and the demon poured out of the person before vanishing entirely. He seemed so proud, looked so evil."

"Dean, that's your little brother," Alex reproached as he shoved me down onto one of the beds. "Sam is not evil. He's confused, it's your job to bring him back to make him see what he's doing is wrong."

"He's not Sam anymore," I responded mournfully.

"Stop it, Winchester," Alex ordered harshly. "Sam is still there I saw him yesterday. He's lost and confused probably trying to avenge you."

"I never wanted this," I retorted. "I don't want him to do this."

"Then tell him that," Alex said. "He'll listen to you. He's been following you his entire life."

"You don't understand, Alex," I sighed. "He's not Sam anymore."

"Dean!" Alex growled shaking me sharply. "Just talk to the kid. Okay? Promise me that you'll talk to him before you do something stupid."

"How could this have happened?" I huffed.

"Things happen, Dean," Alex retorted and then things get better. This to shall pass. Remember? High school lit?"

"Dude, I'm not some geek like you," I grimaced.

"Ah, there's the Dean Winchester I remember," Alex teased. "Come on, dude, let's get a beer. Huh?"

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Oh, and Dean, you still owe me that promise," Alex stated firmly.

"I promise," I replied.

**Marley Whitman's Point of View**

I had heard that beast of what Dean Winchester called a car pull up seconds before someone began to pound on Alex's door. When Dean began to talk I realized that something bad had happened. I pulled on a sweatshirt and laced up my boots before walking outside. I closed and locked the motel door behind me as I walked down the steps and into my mustang, which was the car of choice for my family. Nearly every member of my family had one in varying colors. Mine was a dark crimson red that gleamed in the sunlight.

I slid into the front seat and turned it on maneuvering out of the parking lot and driving down to a motel further in town, where the Winchesters were staying. I slid into a spot a few minutes later and ran over to the room that Hailey mentioned that they were staying in. I knocked once before picking the lock.

You would never know how tall Sam Winchester was with the way he was slumped over. Arms on his knees and head in his hands. He didn't even flinch as I fully entered the room and then shut the door.

"Sammy?" I whispered.

Sorrow, remorseful, green eyes pinned me to the floor. For as long as I've known Sam I knew that he put place more feeling in a single glance then most people could in a piece of poetry. I shifted again as I came closer, crouching down in front of him, noticing the tears slipping from tear-filled eyes.

"Sam, what happened?" I asked.

"You wouldn't understand," He muttered. "No one understands."

"Sam, you're scaring me, what happened?" I demanded.

"Have you ever done something horrible?" Sam responded. "Something that you knew was right but no one understood? They hate me, Marley, my family hates me."

"That's not true, Sam," I reproached. "You guys are so close. Family forgives each other no matter what."

"Not this time," Sam disagreed. "You didn't see them."

"Sam, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on," I frowned.

"You'll hate me too," Sam rumbled.

"No, I won't," I replied.

"A demon's been helping with the abilities that Azazel gave me," I whispered. "Dean didn't want me using them at all even when they were just fledgling. Now I can exorcise demons, he caught me doing it. He caught me with the demon he hates, that I told him was dead. Dean didn't even let me explain, just left. I haven't seen him since."

"Dean will come around," I replied.

"No he won't," Sam sighed. "He holds grudges better than you do."

"Sammy, Dean loves you, you guys can hide it all you want but there's no denying how much you all care about each other. If anything he's afraid for you. You're trusting a demon that's dangerous ground."

He moved before I realized what he was doing and pulled me onto his lap as he kissed me softly at first before deepening the kiss. At first I was caught off guard. This was the boy I had spent my childhood with. My fellow book geek. The one who gave me hope that there was something other than hunting, researching and pain in the world. As we continued to kiss his arms wrapped around me pulling me closer as another hand wrapped itself in my long brown hair. My hands had found the solid strength of his shoulders as I maneuvered myself so that I was comfortably straddling his lap.

Alex had always teased me that I was falling for Sam Winchester and I had to admit that when I did I fell hard. There was just something kind and genuine about Sam but the time was never right he was going to school, or I was in England. Now it was perfect, well at least nearly perfect, I could do without the demon blood coursing through his veins.

**Hailey's Point of View: Three Hours Ago**

"Hailey, please, slow down!" Lucy pleaded.

"Hay, come on," Aiden tried grabbing a hold of my shoulder.

"He's out of control, Aiden," I snarled.

"He's our brother, Hailey," Aiden retorted. "And you're just going to abandon him? He's crushed."

"Why?" I snapped. "Because his punching bag left and his demon whore isn't there to pick up the pieces?"

"Did you even stop to listen to why he's doing this?" Aiden asked.

"Revenge," I snapped. "Aiden, that's all it ever is. Revenge is what got us in this mess and nothing's going to get us out."

"Hay," Aiden sighed.

"Get. Off. Me," I bit out, shaking myself out of his grip as I stormed into the center of the parking lot and snapped my fingers. Ever since Reid had put that spell on my motorcycle, it would show up whenever I needed it. The times I didn't it was apparently holding court in Reid's driveway.

It was either Abby or Lucy who made a move to follow after me but Aiden stopped them allowing me to peal out of the parking lot heading directly towards the hospital. I knew that Abby, Lucy, and Aiden weren't far behind me. Mostly because Abby sent me a text saying that they were going to get something to eat.

Twenty minutes later I was walking through the hospital going towards Darren's room. When I walked in he was more awake than he was last time. His silver eyes bright as he watched television. His parents and siblings were nowhere to be found.

"Hails?" Darren questioned.

I stood awkwardly in the opening of the door as I looked over at Darren In a way that made him look incredibly concerned.

"Hailey, what happened?" Darren demanded.

"My family's falling apart," I whimpered.

"Hey, hey, come here," Darren responded, grabbing my wrist and pulling me onto his bed, where I maneuvered myself until I was resting my head on his chest, "Now what's going on?"

"Dean found out about Sam," I whimpered. "Both of them were missing when I woke up and then Sam came storming in yelling at me about how I led Dean straight towards him. I gave him an ultimatum that either he tells Dean or I do. I don't know how he found out."

"Where are they?" Darren asked.

"I don't know where Dean is and we left Sam in the motel room, he hit me again," I sniffled hating myself for how I was reacting. "It's like Sam died, Dare, he's so different. The old Sam never would've hit me."

Darren's grip around me tightened as I began to sob into his neck curling into his side as my world shattered around me. I never ever would've thought that things would get this bad. Dean was back everything was supposed to be okay again. But it wasn't because everything was different. Sam associated with demons, Dean was obviously shaken by whatever had happened in hell, and Aiden and I had grown up. It wasn't the same dynamic we were used to. I just wanted to know what happened in hell. It had to have been horrible but Dean was being his typical self and playing everything close to the vest, making sure not to let his mask slip. I felt Darren's chin on the top of my head as I burrowed closer to him.

"You know I'm getting sprung today," Darren grinned. "Doc's say I'm one hundred percent. Of course my family thinks differently. Looks like I'm not hunting for a while."

"Good," I replied. "Don't wanna lose you."

"Hails, I've been hunting since I was seven," Darren huffed. "I'm good at this."

"Shit happens," I retorted.

"So why are you hunting?" Darren shot back. "I'd rather not lose you or see you hurt either."

At my lapse of silence Darren smirked at me, "I know, Hailey, I know this life is scary. But we're making differences and saving lives. We risk more than most but that's what makes us heroes."

"Hails," Aiden called. "We just gotta text from Marley she heard the impala in the parking lot."

"Where was she?" I asked as I got up from Darren's bed and looked at my brother leaning against the threshold of the door.

"She was with Sam," Aiden replied with an eyebrow raised.

"And now Dean and Sam are about to be in the same place?" I winced.

"Exactly," Aiden said.

"Darren…" I began.

"Go," Darren interrupted.

I kissed Darren goodbye before I raced out of the room with Aiden on my heels. I hopped onto the motorcycle and Aiden got on behind me. I raced out of the parking lot and to the motel room hoping that nothing had happened at least not yet. I skidded into the spot next to the impala and Aiden and I rushed up the stairs and into the room.

Aiden slammed the door open startling both Sam and Dean. Dean looked at us before he shook his head and continued stuffing clothes into his duffle bags, "Hailey, Aiden, pack your crap. We're leaving."

"Dean, no," I protested.

"That wasn't a request, Hailey Jade, get packing, now," Dean barked.

"Why are you leaving?" Sam whispered, looking at all of us as Aiden and I remained where we stood.

"You don't need us," Dean replied. "You and Ruby go fight demons."

"Hold on," Sam pleaded rushing to intercept Dean's packing, "Dean, come on, man."

Dean turned around, dropping the shirt he was folding only to punch Sam in the face. My jaw drops as Sam whirled around by the force of the blow. There was only one other time where Dean had laid a hand on any of us in anger and that was right after Dad had died.

"You satisfied? Sam asked turning back around to face Dean.

Dean moved punching Sam again. Sam's head snapped to the side as he lightly prodded his lip that had split open.

"Guess not," Sam responded.

"Do you even know how far off the reservation you've gone?" Dean demanded. "How far from normal? From human?"

"I'm just exorcising demons!" Sam protested.

"With your mind!" Dean shouted. "What else can you do?"

"I can send them back to hell," Sam replied. "It only works for demons and that's it."

"What. Else. Can. You. Do?" Dean bit out, grabbing Sam's shirt and slamming him against the wall.

"I just told you!" Sam growled.

"And I have every reason in the world to believe that," Dean frowned, walking away from Sam turning to look at us.

"You two knew about this?" Dean snarled.

"Yes," I sighed.

"What you all decided to keep this from me?" Dean said.

"It wasn't ours to tell," Aiden said.

"Look, I should've sad something," Sam pleaded. "We should've told you."

"We?" I protested. "Whose the one is freely associating with that bitch, Sam?"

"Hailey, stop it," Aiden growled

"No, Aiden," I snapped. "I told you nothing good could come of this! And you didn't listen to me."

"You guys don't understand," Sam protested. "I'm sorry, I am. But try to see the other side here."

"The other side?" Dean repeated dangerously.

"I'm pulling demons outta innocent people," Sam exclaimed.

"Use the knife!" Dean retorted.

"The knife kills the victim!" Sam spat. "What I do, most of them survive! Look, I've saved more people in the last five months than we've all saved in a year."

I shook my head sitting down on the bed with Aiden by my side. Both Aiden and I had heard Sam's explanations in one form or another. Honestly I didn't even know how to feel about the whole thing, except that there was no way a demon was trying to help the good guys. She had an ulterior motive and I was going to figure it out and then kill her for what she was doing to my family.

"That what Ruby wants you to think?" Dean replied. "Huh? Kind of like the way she tricked you into using your powers? It's a slippery slope, brother. Just wait and see because it's gonna get darker and darker. And God knows where it ends."

"I'm not gonna let it go too far," Sam whispered.

Dean smiled at that, shaking his head and walking over to the wall. He smacked the lamp off one of the side tables making it crash and shatter against the wall.

"It's already gone too far, Sam!" Dean barked. "If I didn't know you…I'd want to hunt you."

I gasped staring at Sam and Dean. Although, Sam and I had our share of differences over the past couple of months I had told him I was ashamed of him, that I wanted the real him back but I had never ever said that I wanted to hunt him. Sam recoiled at what Dean had said as though he had been slapped again. Only this time the fight left Sam, his shoulders slumping as his eyes filled with tears.

"And so would other hunters," Dean continued.

"You were gone," Sam whispered. "I was here. I had to keep fighting without you and that's what I'm doing, it works."

"Well, tell me," Dean nodded. "If it's so terrific then why'd you lie about it to me? Why did an angel tell me to stop you?"

"What?" Sam whispered.

"I told you I didn't say anything," I snapped

"Cas said that if I don't stop you, he will," Dean continued as though I hadn't spoken, "See what that means, Sam? That means that God doesn't want you doing this. So, are you just going to stand there and tell me everything's all good."

All of us were teary eyed and tired. Fighting like that was difficult, watching as the bonds that kept us one of the strongest hunting teams out there was now working against each other. We were all fighting and hiding from one another. For all that we use to trust each other and now we couldn't tell each other anything. The sound of Sam's phone startled all of us. He pulled it out of his pocket, frowning at the display before opening it.

Dean, Aiden, and I avoided each other's glances as I stumbled to my feet and into the bathroom. Maybe it was the fact that we were always with one another made things worse. We couldn't get away from each other unless someone died then we couldn't ditch each other fast enough. I fell to my knees as everything in my stomach suddenly decided to make a second appearance. I coughed and gagged as I heard someone begin to knock on the door. With a quiet word to my other two brothers, Dean closed the door crossing the distance between us to crouch down beside me and rubbed my back.

"You okay?" Dean whispered.

"Yeah," I sighed leaning back against his chest, trembling from the exertion of emptying my stomach.

"Hails, I know that fight was bad," Dean sighed.

"Dean," I huffed.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Dean asked as he helped me unsteadily to my feet.

"Yes," I repeated. "Who was on the phone?"

"Travis," Dean said. "He threw a case our way in Carthage, Missouri. We're looking for a guy named Jack Montgomery."

"Travis threw us a case?" I repeated. "The guy okay?"

"Of course," Dean said. "You think you can get Abby and Lucy?"

"I'll call them now," I sighed.

"Hails, you can sit this one out if you want to stay with Darren," Dean offered.

"And let you guys tear each other apart, I don't think so," I scoffed. "Give me an hour?"

Dean nodded before I walked out of the room going straight out into the blazing sunshine. I straddled my bike before calling both Abby and Lucy telling them about the new case and how Dean wanted all of us packed up and ready to go in an hour. Lucy told me that she would back my stuff to give me more time with Darren.

This time when I walked into Darren's hospital room I wasn't alone. The entire Whitman family was there. Darren was changed out of the hospital gown and back into street clothes.

"Hailey," Meredith greeted.

"Hi, Meredith," I grinned.

"I hear there's been a little conflict going on," Charles frowned looking at me for explanations.

"You could say that," I hedged.

"Guys, could you give Hails and I a minute?" Darren asked.

Charles nodded quickly as he ushered the rest of the family out of the room. It was nice that Darren was no longer in bed instead he was up and walking around, closing the distance between us to kiss me softly.

"So, I take it the fight didn't go well?" Darren sighed.

"Dean said that if he didn't know Sam, he'd wanna hunt him," I muttered.

"Wow," was all Darren could say.

"The whole abilities thing never sat well with Dean," I found myself explaining, "and Sam's trusting a demon over us. Lying to us on a near constant basis all because he wants revenge."

"But still Hails I remember both you and Sam were pretty sensitive about your abilities," Darren replied. "For Dean to say that…"

"I know," I groaned. "This whole thing's a mess and we have to leave."

"What?" Darren questioned.

"Travis called he has a case for us," I replied.

"Travis Burton?" Darren clarified.

"Yeah," I answered. "He wants us in Carthage, Missouri as soon as we can."

"Are you sure a hunt is a good idea right now?" Darren responded.

"Travis called," I explained. "He said it's important."

Darren nodded before he moved quickly pinning me against the wall with his body. He kissed me softly at first but as the kiss deepened we lost ourselves and it wasn't until someone cleared their throat that I realized that Darren and I had been making out in a hospital. I flushed as Darren placed me back on my feet, my legs were previously wrapped around his slim, muscular torso as my hands were wrapped around both of in his shoulders.

"Can't leave either of you two alone for one minute," Alex smirked.

"Shut up, " Darren retorted glaring at his big brother.

"The impala is outside," Alex told me.

"I'll see you later, Hails," Darren smiled giving another kiss before walking with me out of the hospital where the impala was waiting sandwiched in between Abby and Lucy's motorcycles.

"You stay outta the hospital, kid," Dean ordered as I slid into the back of the impala.

"I'll try," Darren smirked.

"Y'all call us when you get to Carthage," Meredith ordered.

"Yes ma'am," Sam smiled.

Five hours later we were in Carthage, Missouri, staking out this guys house after we had gotten our motel rooms. Abby and Lucy were still at the motel, they were put on research and dinner detail, while my brothers and I were watching for anything 'weird'.

"You know Castiel showed me some weird things last night," Dean began causing all of us to look at him in confusion. "Before I went to go look for Sam he showed me something from our past. When mom and dad first got together."

"What did he show you?" Aiden asked.

"Mom made a deal for Dad's life," Dean frowned. "Azazel found Mom, killed our grandparents."

"Azazel killed dad?" I repeated. "And our grandparents."

"Yes," Dean stated. "He gave her ten years saying that she would give him something that she wouldn't miss."

"What year was it?" I asked.

"!973," Dean replied glancing at Sam quickly.

"But that doesn't explain why Azazel came back," I wondered. "He didn't kill mom until he came back for me."

"I don't know what tell you, Hails," Dean shrugged.

"I just can't believe it," Sam shook his head. "Mom was a hunter, how'd Azazel get one over one her."

"He got one over on us multiple times," I pointed out. "We're good hunters, or so people say."

"The woman could kick some ass," Dean smiled. "I mean, she almost took me down."

"How'd she look?" Sam asked. "I mean, was she happy?"

"Yeah, she was awesome," Dean smiled. "Funny and smart. So hopeful. So was Dad until, of course…"

Sam sighed and Dean turned his attention back to him, "What?"

"Nothing," Sam muttered.

"Sammy," Dean prodded.

"It's just, our parents. And now we find out our grandparents too? Our whole family murdered and for what? So, Azazel could get into my nursery and bleed in my mouth." Sam fumed.

"He came back for me as well," I retorted. "He bled in my mouth too."

Dean tilted his to the side before glaring at Sam and I accusingly.

"Sam, I never said anything about demon blood," Dean whispered giving me another harsh look.

I bit my lip as Sam looked away guilty.

"You both knew about that?" Dean demanded.

Sam and I remained silent as both Dean and Aiden glared at each of us accusingly. That was just one of the most annoying things about my brothers and I. We all had secrets, some were between one another, some were kept from Dad, and some we just kept from each other. It wasn't exactly tolerated but as long as those secrets weren't thrown out into the open like the whole demon blood thing. Judging by the looks on Aiden and Dean's face that secret that both Sam and I kept from them was very well validated.

Dean never liked Sam and my psychic abilities. He didn't trust them and anything supernatural didn't sit well with him. I was surprised with how well he was taking the sudden appearance of an angel. But, I knew that if Dean knew that Azazel fed us demon blood when we were infants, he'd freak, so I kept it from him. It's not exactly the kind of thing you just tell someone.

"_Sam,"_ Dean warned.

"I've known for about a year," Sam answered.

"Same," I agreed.

"A whole year?" Dean repeated, quietly. The hurt bled through his tone as he shot us both a wounded look.

"I should've told you," Sam sighed. "We should've told you. I'm sorry."

"You've been saying that a lot lately, Sam," Dean retorted. "But whatever. You don't want to tell me, you don't have to. It's fine."

"Dean," Sam whispered.

Dean didn't say a word instead looking out at the street, watching Jack's house. Sam sighed as he muttered, 'Whatever.' I kept my mouth shut knowing that the fight from before was going to keep escalating, as if things couldn't get any worse. I grabbed the binoculars that Aiden handed to me and looked into the kitchen where a man suddenly made an appearance. So far this stake out had been a bust. I watched a man drink a beer and my brothers and I argue with one other.

"Are you sure that's him?" Dean groaned.

"Only Jack Montgomery in town," Sam frowned.

"And we're looking for what exactly?" Dean grumbled.

"Travis said to keep an eye out for anything weird," Sam stated.

"Weird?" Dean repeated.

"Yeah," Sam nodded.

"Alright, well, I've seen big weird, little weird, weird with crazy on top," Dean ranted. "But this guy? I mean, this guy's boring."

"I don't know, Dean," Sam sighed. "Travis seemed pretty sure."

Dean sighed before once again looking into the Montgomery's kitchen. He's still drinking his beer and then he opened his fridge again. He grabbed a container of food and starts eating not stopping for plates or a fork. He eats whatever that is like he hadn't eaten in days. When he's done he tosses it on the counter before going back in the fridge pulling out a container of ground beef. He tore into the plastic wrap and starts eating the beef raw. I put my binoculars down fighting down a wave of nausea.

"I'd say that qualifies," Sam snorted as the rest of us looked at each other revulsion written all over our faces.

"Can we go back to the room now?" Aiden asked. "I'm hungry."

"Dude, you're sick," Dean laughed.

Aiden shrugged laying back in his seat as Dean turned the impala back on and began to drive back to our motel. We had gotten three rooms right next to one another. Sam and Dean's room was connected with Aiden and mine. Abby and Lucy had the room right next door.

Dean and Sam walked through their door with Aiden and I on their heels. Suddenly they stopped short and I attempted to appear over their shoulders. There was someone in the room and based on the fact Abby and Lucy were now behind me.

"Travis," Sam stated.

The lights flipped on and there he was sitting by the table with a beer in hand. His graying hair was receding as his hazel eyes sparkled with mirth.

"See, you guys, I told you we should have hid the beer," Dean teased walking further in the room.

"Smartass," Travis scoffed. "Get over here."

Dean smirked as Travis laughed closing the distance between one another to hug. I don't remember the last time I even saw Travis as he hugged Sam, Aiden, and then me. He looked at Lucy and Abby in confusion before shrugging it off and facing us.

"It's good to see all of you," Travis smiled. "Although I don't think I ever met you two. John have more kids I don't know about?"

"They're friends of Hailey's," Aiden said. "That's Abby and that one's Lucy. Guys, this is Travis Burton, he knew our father."

Abby and Lucy nodded respectfully as before exchanging a quick glance with me that I took to mean that we'd talk later before they walked out of the room, closing the door behind them.

"Man, you two got tall," Travis exclaimed looking at Aiden and Sam who laugh, "You haven't."

"Thanks, Travis," I smirked. "I forgot how sweet you are."

"It's gotta have been ten years," Sam stated.

"You still a…what do you call it?" Travis asked. "A mathlete?"

"No," Sam scoffed as I grinned.

"Yep, sure is," Dean laughed.

"He wishes," I teased.

"It's been too long, guys," Travis huffed. "I mean look at you all. Three grown men and one beautiful young lady. John would've been damn proud. All of you sticking together like this."

"Yeah," Dean muttered. "Yeah, we're as thick as thieves."

I frowned watching Sam's smile begin to disappear as Dean continued to speak, "Nothing's more important than family."

Travis smiled at us unaware of the barb in Dean's word as both Travis and Dean walk to the table as Sam, Aiden, and I trail along behind him. We all sat down and I fought back a sigh. Things couldn't get any tenser than they already were. I was surprised that Travis hadn't noticed. Then again it had been ten years. I was only ten years old, we all weren't even close to hunting by ourselves yet.

"Thanks for helping out an old man," Travis said. "I'm a little, uh, shorthanded."

He waved his right hand and arm that was covered in a cast.

"So, you track down Montgomery?" Travis questioned.

"Yeah, we found him at home," Sam nodded.

"And?" Travis prodded.

"Well, he had a hell of a case of the munchies, topped off with a burger he forgot to cook," Dean quipped.

"That's him all right," Travis frowned.

"And what is he?" Dean asked.

"Guys, we got a rougarou on our hands," Travis stated.

"A rougarou?" Dean rambled. "Is that made up? It sounds made up."

"They're mean, nasty, little suckers," Travis explained. "Rotted teeth, wormy skin, the works."

"Well, this ain't the guy," Dean argued. "I mean he was wearing a cellphone on his belt."

"He'll turn ugly soon enough," Travis shrugged. "They start out human for all intents and purposes."

"So, what?" Sam asked. "They go through some kind of metamorphosis?"

"You could say that," Travis said. "Like a maggot turning into a bull fly. But most of all, they're hungry."

"Hungry for what?" Dean questioned.

"At first, for everything, but then long pig," Travis mumbled.

"Sam exhaled at that eyes flickering to Travis before he looked back at the table.

"Long pig?" Dean repeated.

"He means human flesh," Sam clarified.

"And, that's my word of the day," Dean grimaced.

"The hunger grows until they can't fight it," Travis told us, "Until they got to take themselves a big, juicy, chomp, and then it happens."

"What happens?" Sam queried.

"They transform completely and fast," Travis replied. "One bite is all it takes. Eyes, teeth, skin; it all turns. No going back either, they feed once and it's over. They're a monster forever. And our man Jacks' heading there on a bullet train."

"Well, how'd you find this guy if he's a walking, talking human?" Dean wondered.

"It runs in the family," Travis stated. "I killed his daddy back in '78. Son of a bitch mangled eight bodies before I put him down. Guy used to be a dentist. Cadillac, trophy wife. Little did I know, pregnant trophy wife. She put the boy up for adoption and by the time I found him he was long gone, lost in the system."

"You mean to tell me you couldn't find someone?" Sam scoffed.

"I'm not sure I wanted to," Travis huffed. "The idea of hunting down some poor kid. I don't think I'd have the heart. No, I wanted to wait, make damn sure I had the right man and apparently, I do."

"How do we kill them?" I asked.

"Fire," Travis answered. "That's the only way I found to kill these bastards: deep fry them."

"Well, that's gonna be horrible," Dean winced. "Is that what you did to Jack's dad?"

"Uh-huh," Travis nodded.

I knew that instinctively the next move we'd be making is to make the flamethrowers but with the heavy atmosphere I couldn't stand to be in there one more second. Especially not with the way Sam was looking. As if we weren't talking about rougarous but him.

"I'm going to head over to Abby and Lucy's," I stated. "You know, girl talk and all that."

"You okay?" Dean asked.

"Never better," I said.

"Uh-huh," Dean frowned.

I excused myself from the table walking out of the room noticing that the food was waiting where Travis had found the beer. I grabbed my box before walking the short walk to Abby and Lucy's room. I knocked on the door before walking right in.

"Hey, hails," Abby greeted. "How's the hunt?"

"Going," I muttered. "Sam's acting like we're talking about him and not this Jack Montgomery guy. Dean's been saying backhanded comments all day or just ignoring Sam in general. And he and Aiden found out about the demon blood."

"What?" Abby and Lucy asked together.

"Castiel told him," I grumbled.

"That angel needs to learn when to shut up," Abby growled as I took a bite out of my burger.

Suddenly a door slammed and I didn't need to have my abilities to know that it was Sam who had made that exit. I shook my head moving to the one of the beds.

"You guys mind if I crash here?" I asked.

"Go ahead, Hails," Lucy said.

"Are you okay?" Abby asked.

"No," I frowned. "My family's falling apart and we're on the brink of the apocalypse."

"Everything will work itself out," Lucy said.

"God, Lucy, I hope so," I mumbled. "I can't deal with this."

I sat down on one of the beds and crawled under the covers, trying to pretend that this whole thing was some nightmare. Only the sinking feeling in my stomach told me that whatever started today was not going to stop anytime soon. The next morning came far too soon and before I knew it I was being shook awake.

"Hay," Aiden whispered. "Wake up. Sam and Dean are waitin."

My eyes opened slowly as I took in the fact that Aiden was already dressed in a black sweater and dark, blue jeans. He looked at me waiting for me to get up and I groaned and stretched. I smiled at him as he handed me a clean shirt and sweatshirt. I changed quickly before following after him walking towards the impala. Both Sam and Dean nodded and smiled at me as I got into the car.

"All right, so we're gonna go have a little chat with this guy, which you know, I'm down," Dean said as he began driving towards Jack's house. "But I want to make sure, if push comes, you're gonna shove."

There was no doubt who Dean was talking to as Sam's already rigid posture stiffened even more.

"Meaning?" Sam replied, stonily.

"Well, odds are we're gonna have to burn this guy alive," Dean frowned.

"This guy has a name and a wife," Sam snapped.

"Yeah, who we're probably gonna make a widow, okay?" Dean sighed. "I mean, you heard Travis. He's gonna turn. They always turn."

"Well, maybe he won't," Sam retorted. "Maybe he can fight it off."

"And maybe he can't," Dean responded. "That's all I'm saying."

"All right," Sam huffed. "We'll just have to see then, okay?"

"This is what I mean, Sam," Dean grumbled. "You sure your emotions aren't getting in the way here?"

"What are you talking about?" Sam demanded.

"You know, nice dude, but he's got something evil inside. Something in his blood. Maybe you can relate."

"Dean," Aiden sighed.

"Stop the car," Sam barked.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Stop the car or I will!" Sam threatened.

I sighed as Dean turned the wheel pulling over at the side of the road. I shook my head as the impala barely stopped before Sam leapt out of the car with Aiden, Dean, and I at his heels. I attempt to get in the middle along with Aiden as Dean and Sam glared at each other.

"You want to know why I've been lying to you, Dean?" Sam growled. "Because of crap like this!"

"Like what?" Dean demanded.

"The way you talk to me, the way you look at me like I'm a freak!" Sam exclaimed.

"I do not," Dean retorted.

"You know, or even worse, like I'm an idiot!" Sam yelled. "Like I don't know the difference between right and wrong."

My eyes widened as I looked at Sam even though I was angry with him now I was more surprised than anything else. Sam had just thrown everything out into the open. The way Dean sometimes looked at us as if we really didn't know what was right from wrong. How there was now differences between Sam and I because I had celestial ties while Sam only had demonic.

"What?" Sam growled when Dean didn't say a word.

"Do you know the difference, Sam?" Dean asked, angrily. "I mean, you've been kind of strolling a dark road lately."

"You have no idea what I'm going through!" Sam screamed. "None!"

"Then enlighten me!" Dean shot back.

"Guys," Aiden pleaded.

"Stay outta this!" Dean and Sam barked at the same time before glaring at one another.

"I've got demon blood in me, Dean!" Sam hissed. "This disease pumping through my veins, and I can't ever rip it out or scrub it clean! I'm a whole new level of freak. And I'm just trying to take this curse…and make something good out of it. Because I have to."

"Sam," I whispered.

"Don't, Hailey," Sam sighed. "Just don't."

"Let's just go talk to the guy," Dean said. When Sam growled he amended what he said, "I mean Jack. Okay?"

"Yeah," Aiden, Sam, and I replied.

Dad never would've allowed us to hunt this way. He would've told us to keep personal matters separate from the hunt. Negative emotions caused us to lose focus, which was how one of us got hurt. When we all got back in the car it was only a short drive to Jack's house. When we got there Dean told Aiden and I to stay put as Sam and Dean would talk to Jack.

"You okay?" Aiden asked.

"They're tearing each other apart," I muttered. "How am I supposed to be okay?"

"They'll work it out, Hailey," Aiden replied. "They always do. Remember the Stanford fight? They got over that and they'll get over this."

"I hope so," I huffed.

"They're coming back," Aiden said as we both waited for Sam and Dean to get back in.

"How'd it go?" I asked.

"Brilliantly," Dean snarked. "Telling him the truth was a great idea. He flipped out and told us to leave or he'd call the cops."

"So, what do we do?" Aiden questioned. "Stay here until Jack takes the final leap?"

"I don't know," Dean said. "Let's just go back to the motel."

When we got back to the motel room we all decided to get some dinner. We couldn't find Travis but we didn't think anything of it. The man had been known to just disappear for hours at a time before coming back no worse for war. It wasn't until we came back to the room where we started to look for him. Travis wouldn't be gone this long without checking in, especially not on a hunt he seemed so passionate about. Of course he could've been staking out Jack's house, which made sense just incase he did turn. It was around nine when Dean finally told Sam and Aiden to come with him so they could look for Travis together. I was going to stay with Abby and Lucy because Dean didn't think we'd need everyone for this. Dean thought that Travis was probably just outside and they'd bring him back.

"Hailey," Abby called.

"Sorry," I frowned. "I've been really distracted lately."

"Tell me," Abby laughed. "That's probably why they left you here with us. You've been a space cadet all day."

"Yeah," I smirked. "What about you guys? I feel bad that we're sorta dragging you all over the country while keeping y'all benched."

"We're novices," Abby shrugged. "I get it."

"We'll get you up to fighting shape," I replied.

"Hey, Hails, you're phone!" Lucy shouted tossing my cell to me.

I glanced at the display noticing that it was Aiden the one who called.

"Aiden everything okay?" I answered.

"Hails, it's Travis," Aiden panted.

"What is it?" I asked.

"He tied up Jack's wife, waited for Jack," Aiden explained. "Things turned and Jack took the final plunge. Travis is dead, Hailey and we just killed Jack."

"How's Sammy taking it?" I asked.

"Horribly," Aiden sighed. "He was the one who killed Jack. Jack got the jump on Dean and I. Sam recovered the fastest."

"You guys coming back?" I asked.

"We have to take care of the body," Aiden huffed. "But yes we are. Hails, I know you are mad at Sam but I think you're the only one who can make him feel better right now."

"I'll talk to him," I frowned.

"We'll be home soon, Hay," Aiden said.

"Be careful, Aiden," I whispered before disconnecting the line.

Before I could even tell Lucy and Abby what happened everyone's phone rang at once. We shot each other's panicked glances as my heart leapt into my throat I answered my phone barely able to get out the words, "Winchester."

"Hails," Darren whispered.

Darren sounded on the verge of tears and my blood froze. I don't remember ever seeing Darren cry let alone sound this shaken. My trembling kicked up a notch as I sat down on the bed.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Hails, it's the roadhouse it burned to the ground," Darren whimpered.

"What?" I gasped.

"Ash didn't make it," Darren told me. "A lot of hunters died in that fire."

"Jo and Ellen?" I questioned.

"They're alive," Darren said. "Devastated but alive."

"Where are you?" I asked.

"Wichita," Darren replied.

"Darren," I sighed. "I have something to tell you to."

"What is it?" Darren asked.

"It's Travis he died on the hunt," I whispered.

"Jesus," Darren whimpered.

"I love you, Darren," I stated.

"I love you, too, baby," Darren replied. "Get here soon, okay?"

"Of course," I retorted.

For the second time I disconnected the line, falling off the bed and to my knees as body-shaking, soul crushing sobs shook me to my core. In a little less than four hours the Roadhouse had burned to the ground and Ash and Travis were dead. I was barely aware of Abby and Lucy wrapping their arms around either side of me as we all sat huddled together. The last ties to my father were wilting away. The roadhouse and Travis, gone in one shot leaving me grappling. The only thing that was left was hunting and the relationship with my brothers and now even that was splintering at the core.


	42. Misery Comes Crawling

**Chapter Forty-Two: Misery Comes Crawling**

"_When your heart breaks, you've got to fight like hell to make sure you're still alive. Because you are, and that pain you feel...that's life. The confusion and fear, that's there to remind you that somewhere out there is something better, and that something is worth fighting for."_

The ride to the Whitman's house in Wichita, Nebraska was uncomfortable to say the least. The atmosphere in the impala wasn't as tense as it had been in the past couple of days but we certainly weren't back to normal. Where the silences weren't awkward and people weren't lost in their thoughts. The number of people we had lost was going to be entering in double digits soon.

You'd think with the amount of people that I've lost: mom, dad, Pastor Jim, Caleb, Travis, Trevor, and technically both Dean and Sam, only they obviously didn't stay dead, that I'd be use to this, more able to cope some how. But it still like someone had punched me and ripped my heart out of my chest.

As soon as we hit the outskirts of Wichita, we began to look for the Whitman's house. I wasn't really sure I had ever been there before because the house that Dean parked in front of didn't look remotely familiar. But it felt familiar, it looked like any of Dad's safe houses, it had plenty of land and not that many neighbors so that we didn't have anyone sticking their noses where they didn't belong. Dean parked the impala near countless other cars and motorcycles. Hunters of all kinds had come to either grief together or pay their respects. I slammed the door behind me as I shouldered my duffel bags as I fell into step with Abby and Lucy.

It was still hard to believe that they had only known my family for a year. That we had only known each other for a little more than a year. Before they only knew that they had abilities and they weren't in any of this mess. Now they were right in the thick of it along with my brothers and I and anyone else who even knew a Winchester. We were living in dangerous times and the already small number of hunters was dwindling. Evil was playing to win and everyone was doing what they could to stop them. Seeing everyone gathering around one little farm house was comforting, these people were still here and despite everything, all the pain, the unimaginable grief we all still came up fighting.

"Hailey!" Jo shouted.

The aforementioned blond ran down the steps after throwing open the front door slamming into me with what one could describe with a huge. I saw a bunch more people coming down the steps, some I recognized, and most I didn't. I felt Natasha brush by me and the now crying Jo as she threw herself into Aiden's arms. Surprisingly Marley smiled at me as I hugged Jo before throwing herself into Sam's arms who swung her up into a giant bear hug before kissing her firmly. I felt Darren at my back as Jo's grip tightened. I heard more than I saw Alex and Dean catching up, hugging one another before slapping each other on the back.

"He's gone," Jo sobbed. "I can't believe he's really gone."

"I'm so sorry," I whispered hugging her close.

"I heard about Travis," Jo whimpered. "We lost a lot of good people in the space of a day."

"I know," I soothed.

"That was my home," Jo cried. "That was our home and now it's gone, burned to the ground."

Tears filled my eyes and spilled over my ashen cheeks as Jo and I tightened out grips on one another and then it was unclear on who was comforting who. I felt a warm calloused palm on my shoulder before Dean pried me off pulling Jo into his arms as Darren spun me around only to hug me tightly. I burrowed closer into Darren's side, selfishly happy that he was okay. That he looked to be completely back to one hundred percent. His strong arms held me as he kissed the top of my head before placing his chin there.

"About time y'all got in," Meredith frowned. "We've all been waiting for ya."

"There was traffic," Dean replied.

"Don't you sass her, boy," Missouri warned. "Now then. Dinner's ready. Get your rears in that house before y'all freeze to death."

"Hi, Missouri," Abby and Lucy grinned.

"Hello babies," Missouri smiled back.

The house was warm and welcoming and there was plenty of food to chose from. There were all kinds of pasta, fried chicken, green beans, salad, and corn bread. Everyone loaded up their plates before sitting down at the table. Meredith and Charles were on either head of the table. Ellen and Missouri were on either side of Meredith as she stood up calling the incredibly large dining room table to attention.

"Now we all lost a lot of good people this week," Meredith frowned as her eyes swept the table, "within this life we make a lot of sacrifices and unfortunately lose a lot of good people but they will never be forgotten. Their memory lives on through each and every one of us and as long as continue to do what we do best, to continue fighting they will never leave us. That means that the other side can never win."

People clapped and cheered as Ellen stood shakily to her feet. I didn't know what exactly what had happened to the roadhouse. Except that it wasn't good. I had no idea how anyone remotely demonic could've gotten onto the property it was warded like no one's business.

"Ashton Teller came to my roadhouse early in 1994. He family had died in an awful car crash and he was currently avoiding police," Ellen whispered. "He was a ward of the state but the kid was smart and he knew how horrible the foster care system was. I believe that it was fate that brought him to my door. It was pouring rain and the poor boy was soaked to the bone. I took him and luckily he never left. Ash helped nearly ever hunter that came into my bar." Ellen raised her glass, "To Ashton Teller and every other damn good person we lost yesterday."

Every one raised their glasses before taking a sip of their drinks. Despite the melancholy atmosphere it seemed that people were taking it easier and enjoying each other's company. The food was good and the company was even better as I tried to forget the fact that my brothers and I were fighting, and would just pretend that things were okay, if only for a moment.

After dinner was over, I cleaned my place before walking back outside. The night was brisk and the sun was just starting to set but it was soothing. In the quiet of the early twilight I should've heard someone coming up behind me but I didn't at least not until a hand landed on my shoulder.

"Sam?" I gasped before shoving his arm away, "Don't scare me like that!"

"I'm sorry, Hailey," Sam whispered. "What are you doing out here?"

"Just needed some air," I shrugged. "What about you?"

"Dean told me to come and get you," Sam replied.

"Did he?" I mumbled as I plopped down onto the ground.

"Hailey, I'm…" Sam began.

"Stop it Sam," I interrupted. "Listen I'm pissed that you hit me again and you're obviously sorry. So, we're gonna move past this. I meant everything I said to you Sam. Sometimes when I look at you it feels like I'm looking into the eyes of an absolute stranger. But I love you, Sam. You're my big brother and I could never dream of ever wanting to hunt you. You're not like Jake, or Andy, or Ava, or Jack Montgomery. You're not evil, Sammy, you're not a monster, you're my brother. Sam, you're a good person. You just have a few anger issues but I blame Winchester genes on that."

Sam smirked at that, his face free of tension for the first time in days. I shifted to my feet as Sam helped me up before hugging me close. I hugged him back glad that for now, maybe things would be back to normal again. We both wandered back into the house where people everywhere were bunkering down for the night. Marley wandered out from the kitchen grabbing Sam's wrist before leading him up to the bedrooms.

I looked around the living room noticing that Natasha and Aiden were sprawled out on a couch watching some random TV show. Aiden seemed serene and happy that he was with Natasha. Dean and Jo were lounging right next to them. Jo seemed better than she had before, sometimes a tear slipped down her face before she wiped it away.

"Hails," Darren whispered. "Follow me."

I took in the fact that Darren was dressed for the outside chill, with car keys loosely held between his thumb and forefingers. I raised an eyebrow as I followed after him. We walked down the steps and headed straight towards his car, grinning at me as we both slipped into the car. Before Darren could turn on the ignition a hand slammed against the passenger window. We both jumped before Darren rolled down the window and we saw that Alex was starring at us, shaking his head.

"Where the hell do you think you two are going at two in the morning?" Alex asked.

"None of your business," Darren retorted.

"Oh," Alex laughed. "Dar, you just got out of the fucking hospital and I know for a fact that Ma took your keys. You're supposed to be taking it easy, little brother. Not gallivanting off to have nefarious actions with your girlfriend."

"Alex!" I complained.

Alex shot me a wicked look before turning back to Darren, "Dude, I know for a fact that if you go anywhere right now either Ma or Dean or both will kill you."

"Alex, I covered your ass so many fucking times, you owe me," Darren retorted.

"None of those times were when I had just gotten out of the hospital," Alex replied.

"Alex, come on," Darren mumbled.

"Fine," Alex rolled his eyes. "You guys have two hours."

"Thanks Alex," Darren and I grinned before Darren turned on the ignition and gunned it out of the driveway.

"So, where are we going?" I asked as Darren steered down the road.

"Well, I thought that it was getting a little heavy in there," Darren winced. "You weren't here yesterday when things where really bad. I don't think Ellen or Jo would ever stop crying, not that they didn't have a reason too. And everyone else was upset and worried wondering how the hell a demon even got on the property, let alone was able to burn it to the ground. When people found out Travis had died to it got even worse."

"People need to grief, Darren, we need to grief," I replied. "Ash was like a brother to us and he's just gone."

"I know, Hails," Dean sighed reaching out to grab my hand kissing it softly.

"You never told me where we're going," I noted.

"There's this field right outside of Wichita," Darren said. "Completely abandoned, I go there when I need to think. Or at least I use to."

When we pulled up to this field I sat there stunned for a moment before I got out of the car. There were wild flowers everywhere. Except right in the middle of the field where there was wood waiting for a fire. Darren grabbed my hand and pulled me into the middle of the field. He pulled out a blanket before he threw some lighter fluid on the wood before lighting a match.

Darren dropped down behind me putting his legs on either side of me as he pulled me back so that I was leaning back against his chest. I watched the fire warily it had taken so much from me. My mother and my childhood for one. On the other hand it killed vengeful spirits and a lot of other things that otherwise would've killed me.

"Hails?" Darren prodded, "What are you thinking about?"

"The fire," I whispered.

"Why?" Darren questioned.

My mom died in a fire," I shrugged. "Losing all these people to another fire demons set brought up some thing I rather forget."

"I'm sorry, Hailey," Darren whispered.

"It's okay," I mumbled. "It's just the Roadhouse was my only home really. Dad kept us all pretty mobile."

"I remember that," Darren grimaced. "My parents and your dad got into some pretty bad arguments about that. Saying how it wasn't right to keep four growing children in a car most of the day. How many schools did you go through?"

"You mean until I dropped out and got my GED?" I replied. "Forty five, we were on our way to the Forty sixth…"

_We were on our way to Montgomery Alabama because of 'Uncle' Bobby's friends was having a problem with a poltergeist, leading to John Winchester's decision to uproot the family from Dallas, Texas. It was at the least an eleven-hour drive and that was using the Interstate, which was something we avoided because of the random police presence. We were only on the interstate for an hour after five hours of driving back roads before Dad called telling us to turn off at the next rest stop to refuel the cars and to get us some food. _

"_Hailey Jade, if you don't stop muttering under your breath you and I are gonna have some problems, you hear me?" Dean demanded _

_After a sharp elbow in the ribs from Aiden I answered, "Yes, sir."_

_I knew that my attitude was wearing on everyone's patience and it was dangerous for my health to keep it up but I couldn't take it anymore. I was always the new kid, with no friends and if I ever did make friends I'd have to ditch them the second we got done with the job. It was a treat to be in a school six months, a year was as rare as it got but it happened, especially if Dad was worried about CPS. _

_Conversation was over for the moment as Dean turned the impala off the interstate following Dad's truck. We parked the cars next to each other. I took a deep breathe as I slid out of the car following dad, Dean, and Aiden. Sam had been at Stanford for the past year and a half leaving the three of us traveling all over the country, solving cases before going to make sure Sammy was okay._

"_Hustle, Hailey," Dad ordered. "We gotta schedule to keep."_

"_Yes, sir," I grumbled as we walked into the local diner. _

_I waited until the food had been ordered the letter I had gotten two days ago was burning a hole in my pocket. I had taken the test for my GED under the guise of Saturday detention. While Dean hadn't been happy he drove me to the school that Saturday. Three weeks later I got the letter that I passed. Forty-five school seemed to be a very good number to stop at. _

"_The school you've been enrolled in is called Lee High School," Dad told us conversationally._

"_Like General Robert E. Lee?" Aiden asked. _

"_Yes, Aiden, as a matter of fact," Dad laughed._

_I rolled my eyes and the gesture did not go unnoticed by my father, "You have something you'd like to add to the conversation, Hailey? Because I'm getting pretty damn sick of this new attitude of yours."_

"_Actually, I do have something to add to the conversation," I said wrapping my hand around the letter before continuing, "I'm not going to that school, Dad."_

_That might've been the wrong thing to say. Dean and Aiden's spine was ramrod straight and so was Dad as he leveled me with the angriest look I had ever seen. His normally hazel green eyes were almost dark black with rage, the vein in his neck and forehead were bulging. The sight was terrifying._

"_Dad," Dean began._

"_And here's your food," The waitress greeted. She had impeccable timing as she laid our plates down. "Is there anything else I can get you?"_

"_Can we actually get this to go?" Dad barely growled out. "There's been a change of plans."_

"_Dad," Dean tried again._

_But dad wasn't listening to reason as he reason as he stood up grabbing my bicep and wrenching me out of my seat and back into the parking lot. When we got to the truck he pushed me against it as he glared at me. _

"_You think that was funny?" Dad barked. "You will go to school, you will do your homework, and you will get good grades."_

"_I've been to forty five different schools, Dad," I retorted." I'm done with it."_

"_Hailey Jade Winchester, I will not let you stand there making demands," Dad warned sharply._

"_It's not fair, Dad," I whispered backing down slightly. "You drag us all around the country like bags of luggage."_

"_Do not push me right now, Hailey Jade, you're just begging to be taken down a couple of pegs," Dad hissed._

"_No, Dad, I'm begging you to listen to me!" I cried "Do you not understand that I'm either the freak or the slut at every single school we go to? That girls hate me because guys look my way and then the guys hate me when Aiden sets them straight. Despite that I have kept my nose pretty damn clean and have gotten straight As down there board. And I'm begging you, I'm asking you not to make me go to another school."_

"_Hailey," Dad sighed, now squirming uncomfortably._

_It was hard to imagine that my father had fought in Vietnam was a damn corporal, had trained the lot of us like we were in the military. He could yell at us, run us to the ground. But the second I break out the water works, mention my period, anything following that spiel John Winchester is suddenly uncomfortable even going so far as to relent on some occasions. Granted that didn't always work but it was damn near fifty fifty._

"_Dad, I got my GED a week ago," I replied. I pulled out the letter and handed it to him. "I passed the test, Dad, I don't need to go to school anymore."_

"_Okay," Dad sighed and before I could even muster up a grin at the victory he leveled me with a stern look, "But, you and I are going to be having a discussion about going behind people's back. You understand me?"_

"_Yes, sir," I replied._

"Jesus," Darren hissed. "You have some balls, Hailey Winchester. I've seen your father pissed and it's scary."

"He's not that bad," I shrugged.

"Bullshit," Darren replied. "I remember that week where your dad trained all of us at the roadhouse when we were like fourteen. We were sparring and I had you pinned and your dad flipped the shit."

"He was serious about training," I defended.

"Hails he made you cry," Darren frowned.

"Yeah, I know, Dar," I huffed. "I remember it."

_Training sucked there was no other way to think about it. I don't know what I hated more. Sparring or the weapons training. Probably sparring because that was when dad was such a tight ass. If I got pinned more than twice it was all my fault. It didn't matter that I weighed less and was so much shorter than my brothers. Dad always said that if I wanted to be a hunter I couldn't let a thing like how much I weighed and how tall I was get in the way of me killing something._

"_Again, Hailey!" Dad barked._

"_Dad, I'm tired," I complained. Trying unsuccessfully to keep the whine out of my voice. "We've been at this for hours."_

"_Oh, I'm sorry, Hailey," Dad growled leveling me with a vicious look, "I completely forgot that if you say 'I'm tired' to a ghost or a poltergeist, or a demon they'll let you take a break! Again, Hailey Jade."_

_I took the hand that Darren offered to me and got up dusting off my pants. This most recent jaunt to the roadhouse was supposed to be for recuperating. That raw head had knocked around dad but he said he was fine enough to watch us train. Charles had given Dad the rights to train Alex, Marley, and Darren as well. Alex against Dean and Aiden against Marley were pretty evenly matched. All four proving that they could handle themselves. But, between Darren and I. I was the one who was hitting the mat more. _

_Not that we were even practicing on a map. Nope, we were outside in the dry Nebraska heat with the sun beating down on us as I kept getting thrown in the dirt. My muscles ached and my wrist hurt from where I tweaked it a few days ago. _

_Darren and I put up our fists as we circled around each other before I lunged out punching in a one two combo. Neither punched landed but the sweeping kick knocked Darren out his back. He got to his feet and punched. I ducked the swing and kicked him back again. When Darren moved to attack again I punched him in the jaw and I thought I had knocked him down for the count but as I turned around to see what else my father had in mind Darren tackled me to the ground rolling me on my back as he pinned me. I bucked and squired but Darren easily had at least fifty pounds on me._

"_You never turn your back on your opponent, Hailey," Dad hissed. "If that was an enemy that could've slit your throat or stabbed you in the back."_

"_I'm sorry, sir," I groaned. "I made a mistake."_

"_A mistake like that can get you killed," Dad barked. "Again."_

_I glowered at my father as I was once again pulled to my feet. I raised my fists and this time let Darren come at me. I saw the opportunity when it presented itself, purposefully leaning into Darren's punch. He got me straight in the eye and somehow my nose was bloodied in the process. It wasn't a little blood either. My hands clutched my nose, which wasn't broken, thankfully._

"_Jesus, Hails," Darren hissed. "I'm sorry, are you okay?"_

"_She's fine," Dad answered for me._

_There was blood all over my hands and running down to stain my already messed up shirt. If this was my father's definition of 'fine' I hated to see what not fine looked like._

"_Dad, she's hurt," Dean protested coming to my aid and was in an instant by my side. "Let me see it, Hails."_

"_I'm okay, Dean," I whispered._

"_Cut the bullshit, Hails," Dean growled. He gently lifted my hands away from my nose carefully inspecting it to make sure it wasn't broken. When I was deemed okay in Dean's eyes we all turned to see dad watching the proceedings with an unreadable expression written all over his face._

"_Next time be careful, Hailey," Dad finally said before turning on his heel and walking into the roadhouse leaving the rest of us gaping. Tears filled my eyes and I struggled to bite them back but a few rebellious ones slipped free. I pried myself from Dean's grip and took off before he could capture me._

"_Hails!" Dean shouted as I sprinted away._

_Dad always was like this when it came to training. He had expectations so high that there was almost no way I could ever live up to them. He probably thought that it was motivation but if anything it made me want to give up. Stop pretending that I could ever be as good as my father, or Dean, or Sam, or Aiden _

"I'm sorry, Hails," Darren whispered. "I didn't mean to stir up bad memories."

"It's okay, Dar," I replied. "It's all been so close to the surface. Honestly, it's good to remember. What you didn't know was that my father made it up to me. We went to the movies just me and him. He said that he was out of line in my training and that he would back off a little bit."

"And did he?" Darren questioned.

"Yeah," I smiled. "My dad wasn't all bad, Darren."

"I never said he was," Darren soothed. "I said that he scared the crap out of me."

I smirked at me before turning in his arms to kiss him softy. He leaned back until he was laying on his back and I was on his chest as arms snaked up and down my back. I nipped at his bottom lip causing him to groan, grabbing my face in his hands as he deepened the kiss as he flipped us over. My legs were wrapped around his hips as our pelvis bones brushed against one another causing both Darren and I to groan at the friction.

"We can't do this," Darren panted.

"Why not?" I grumbled.

"It's nearly been two hours," Darren replied.

I frowned as Darren offered me his hand helping me to my feet as he and I folded the blanket before walking back to the car. It was a quiet ride back but it was nice not in any way like the silence in the impala has been lately.

Darren parked the car and together we made a break to the front door, taking turns in sneaking in. There were hunters strewn all over the place, sleeping wherever there was an available spot. Darren and I managed to step over every hunter between the door and the staircase without any of them stirring, which was quite the feat. There weren't many hunters who were heavy sleepers. Dean, for instance, could go from dead to the world to knife wielding in a fraction of a second.

Together Darren and I climbed the stairs and snuck into his room. Luckily I had thought to put my duffel bag in here earlier. Darren shut the door while I changed into a baggy shirt and short shorts before climbing into his bed. It felt nice as Darren's arms wrapped around my stomach pulling me into his chest and the both of us settled down to sleep.

After all that had happened it was nice to just spend some time with Darren. Time that wasn't spent in a hospital room or thinking about how many people we had lost this week. Travis and Ash dying just blew my mind. Ash wasn't a hunter but he researched with the best of them. He didn't deserve to go out like that. The very thing he hunted had eaten Travis and it broke my heart. Travis had helped dad loads of times, he also used to be fixture at the roadhouse before he suddenly fell off the map.

We had lost so many other people as well. But most hunters stuck to themselves thinking families like mine or the Whitman's, or even the Harvelle's was weird. There were always hunters in the roadhouse but about three quarters of them stuck to themselves. They obviously had friends though. I mean there were at least one hundred people here.

The sunlight began to stream in bright and early as I mumbled under my breathe before burying my face into Darren's neck. His arm's tightened around my waist but it was obvious that Darren was awake. I blinked my eyes open unsurprised that my blue eyes met amused silver ones.

"Good Morning," Darren whispered.

"Morning," I grinned. "What time is it?"

"Early," Darren replied. "It's only nine or so."

"So, we have some time to waste," I stated.

"That's one way to say it," Darren smirked.

He rolled us until I was on my back. His weight rested on my and his arms as he began to trail kissed down my jaw until he kissed my lips. I deepened this kiss my fingers running through his hair as his hand found its way inside my shirt his fingers splayed out on my stomach. One of my hands snaked down and grabbed his tee shirt, using the grip to roll us so that I was straddling him my legs on either side of his hips.

I pulled my sweatshirt and tee shirt off leaving me in just a bra as I continued to kiss Darren firmly. Darren lifted his back off the bed tossing off his own shirt as his hands found their way to my hips.

"Condom?" I moaned.

"Hails, are you sure about this?" Darren asked.

"Yes," I replied instantly.

Darren smiled at me his lips claiming mine as he once again rolled us over, his hand flying out to his nightstand as he slid away from me. My body mourned the loss of heat and I realized that it was cold. He came back seconds later sans boxers as he slid my panties to my ankles before tossing them on the ground.

He kissed me his tongue wracking over my bottom lip before slipping into my mouth as our tongues dueled for dominance. With a sudden movement his hips lunged forward and I moaned as Darren began to rock back and forth. I gasped as my hands flew out grabbing Darren's shoulder as wave after wave of ecstasy flooded my body making my toes curled. With a couple more rapid thrusts Darren came too, kissing me again before resting on his side curling against me.

As Darren held me in his arms I wondered if maybe that hadn't been the right time to consummate my relationship with Darren. But I felt so much better, I didn't feel as tense and I felt protected within Darren's embrace. We had made sure to be quiet, knowing that there were still people grieving, understandably so. But then again sometimes grief brought people closer together as well.

Darren's life hadn't been any easier than mine. Just because he still had his entire family here didn't mean that he hadn't lost people. He had lost a lot of friends people like Ash and Travis and Caleb. People who had fallen off the map like Jefferson Davis. Jefferson Davis was an old friend of my Dad as well as Charles Whitman, he was te one person we had got the majority of our weapons from. There were also hunts gone awry and Darren bared that guilt on his conscious.

I rubbed his arms before I got out of bed, changing into a tee shirt and a bar of low riders. I shook out my hair as I made my way into the kitchen where various breakfast food was waiting for the masses. I looked around noticing that there was a lot less people milling about than there had been yesterday.

"Well you certainly seem like you're in a good mood," Abby teased. "What were you and Darren doing?"

"I don't kiss and tell," I replied.

"Yeah," Abby laughed. "Okay. Well, you weren't the only one getting lucky last night."

"Oh?" I wondered.

"Jo and Dean, Natasha and Aiden, Sam and Marley, Bobby and Ellen…" Abby began to list.

"Bobby and Ellen?" I repeated. "Huh."

"That's the only one that you deem to react too?" Abby scoffed.

"Jo and Dean have been dancing around each other for as long as I've known them," I shrugged. "So have Marley and Sam. And Natasha and Aiden have been going out for a while. Besides if they give me crap about what Darren and I may or may not have done, they're being hypocritical."

"You should've been a lawyer, Hails," Abby snickered.

"Sam almost was," I stated.

"No shit?" Abby exclaimed.

"Yeah, he went to Stanford," I nodded. "So did Aiden."

"Why'd they come back?" Abby asked.

"Part of the reason was that I was in a coma and the other reason was that my father just fell off the grid," I explained. "And now they're stuck. They don't hate it like they use too though."

Abby looked at me in surprise. I guess she didn't know that both Aiden and Sam had gone to school for nearly three full years. I grabbed a plate of food and loaded it up with pancakes and bacon.

By the time I had finished eating everyone else was waking up. Jo and Dean came downstairs first and I knew that they had gone all the way. Jo smiled at me and I shook my head. It was about time they had finally gotten together, Jo had a crush on Dean for as long as I've known her or at least it felt that ay.

"You want coffee, Jo?" Dean asked as she sat down across from me.

"Yes, please," Jo smiled.

Within five minutes the kitchen was filled with couples as Darren picked me up out of my chair only to sit down and settle me on his lap. I smiled and burrowed into his chest as he began to eat his breakfast.

"Aw, isn't this cute," Alex exclaimed as he swaggered into the kitchen looking at all of us.

"Harvelle, I thought you had better standards than this," Alex teased.

"Boy, you leave that girl alone," Meredith warned sending her eldest son a warning look.

"Yes ma'am," Alex muttered grabbing a plate of food that Meredith offered.

I felt Darren smirk as Alex sent him a warning glare. I got up going back upstairs to where Lucy was still fast asleep. Abby followed after me and we closed the door behind us.

"Hey Luce," Abby and I exclaimed.

"Hey, you guys," Lucy grinned. "What's up?"

"You wanna head out?" I asked. "It seems like they're running low on food and drinks."

"Oh, well, we can help with that," Lucy shrugged.

After we had all gotten dressed and gotten a grocery list from Meredith, we borrowed Darren's mustang has we went to the store. It was a fairly extensive grocery list covering nearly every food group and every possible recipe. I ripped the list into three and we all split up to gather our assigned items. I was currently frowning at the flour that seemed to be placed on the top of shelves.

"Need some help? A deep voice asked. "My name's Damon."

I whipped around and saw that a fairly tall boy with dark, almost black hair was leaning against the opposite wall. He wore a black shirt, dark blue jeans, and a black leather jacket.

"Thanks," I finally replied, knowing that I wouldn't be able to get the sack of flour without using my telekinesis, which might draw the wrong sort of attention.

He grabbed the flour before handing it to me, smile firmly in place. As I was putting it into my cart he said, "You're welcome, Hailey Winchester."

I stiffened my eyes widening in surprise as I pushed back.

"Ah, ah, ah, that trinity shit doesn't work on something like me," Damon scoffed before everything suddenly went black.

**Abby's Point of View**

It hurt more than I imagined to watch the Winchesters fighting. I had always dreamed of a family like the one Hailey had and to watch them fighting was nearly more than I could bear. It seemed a lot better than it had before. Hailey and Sam had talked and Dean and Sam were talking. It seemed like everything was back to normal or so I hoped.

It was horrible that Hailey and her family kept losing people. And losing Ash hurt me too. He was a good guy. A bit naïve, which was refreshing in this life. He didn't deserve the way he died.

Lucy, Hailey, and I were at the supermarket and as we splintered off to find the groceries I couldn't help the bad feeling that I got. I grimaced as the hair on the back of my neck stood on end but shrugged it off. Seconds later Lucy came tearing ass around the corner, her eyes wide and frantic.

"Lucy, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Hailey's gone," Lucy gasped.

"What?" I gaped. "What do you mean gone?"

"Her half of the list is on the floor," Lucy said. "The flour she had exploded. The aisle is covered in flour or at least most of it is. The part that isn't has a fairly nice puddle of blood."

"We have to tell Dean," I replied.

"But what about…"

"There's no time," I retorted. "Dean will know what to do."

As I ran through the market with Lucy in tow, we passed by the aisle Hailey was in and it was exactly as Lucy described. There as flour everywhere and some part of it had drops of blood in the middle of it was one lone bloody handprint. It might as well have been a puddle of how deep it was. One thing was sure, wherever Hails had gone she put up one hell of a fight.

_**Author's Note: Thank you so much for those who reviewed the last chapter. I love you guys, and I think you're awesome. But, there hasn't been a lot of reviews for chapters going on lately and the alerts and hits are higher than ever. So come on, you guys make my day and please, please, review! ~Beccatdemon13**_


	43. Etched in Stone

_**Author's Note: I should let you all know that I really don't know all that much about Christian Theology so if I got something wrong, I'm sorry. And I don't mean any harm or offense. You guys are so awesome with all the reviews *huge smile*. Keep it up! Happy Reading! ~Beccatdemon13**_

**Chapter Forty-Three: ****Etched in Stone**

_"Time takes it all, whether you want it to or not. Time takes it all, time bears it away, and in the end there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in that darkness, and sometimes we lose them there again."_

**Hailey's Point of View**

Waking up in a darkened room set every instinct I ever had on edge. The hair on the back of my neck rose as I tried to stand up. When it didn't work I looked down only to find myself tied to chair with knots that would put a boy scout to shame. I bit back a curse knowing that it wouldn't help. Even if I could get out where would I go? I had no idea where I was or who brought me here. Then everything came rushing back, stealing my breath away. The last memory I had mocking me.

_He grabbed the flour before handing it to me, smile firmly in place. As I was putting it into my cart he said, "You're welcome, Hailey Winchester."_

_I stiffened my eyes widening in surprise as I pushed back._

"_Ah, ah, ah, that trinity shit doesn't work on something like me," Damon scoffed before everything suddenly went black._

I had made the worst mistake and let my guard down. I made an amateur move and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if I died as a result of that mistake. My head hung down low a I again fought back tears.

"Oh, good, you're awake," Damon smiled, "and here I was thinking that you would miss all the fun."

My eyes landed on a grinning Damon and I glared at him. It really shouldn't have set my instincts on edge to have someone ask to if I needed help. But, that was the kind of world my family and I lived in where danger lurked everywhere and anywhere waiting for the instant you drop your guard.

"Why the long face, Hails?" Damon teased. "Oh, right. I should probably introduce myself."

"What are you?" I growled.

"I'm Beelzebub," Damon replied.

"Bullshit," I snarled. "Lucifer's in hell."

"Right, I forgot your humans did that," Beelzebub frowned. "You're all mistaken. You see Beelzebub, Leviathan, and Metatron are all different beings. We're not demons either. We're fallen angels. The first three to fall, actually. B I'm not really a demon either. Lucifer, along with Leviathan and I were the first three angels to fall, cast down to hell unjustly. Lucifer was the one who made hell what it is today. The only names that are synonymous are Lucifer and Satan. I'm Lucifer's second in command and I owe you and your brothers a thank you. After all, if it wasn't for you I'd still be trapped in hell."

"You escaped that night at the Devil's Gate," I whispered.

"Yes," Beelzebub nodded. "I've just been biding my time, keeping tabs on all of you. You all have gotten incredibly reckless."

"Thanks for the history lesson," I snarled. "Can I go now?'

"And miss all the fun?" Beelzebub scoffed. "I don't think so. This happened to you once before. The only difference between then and now? You're little Trinity powers don't work on me. In fact the only thing your family is going to find is your mangled corpse."

By now Beelzebub's face was inches away from mine as we stared at one another eye to eye before I reared back and spat in his face. He stumbled backward for a split instant before he began to laugh.

"That was very disrespectful," Beelzebub scolded before he backhanded me across the face with enough force to have my ears ring. "You Winchesters are something else. I heard about your family, what you're willing to do for another. Tell me has Dean told you about hell yet? How he screamed, and cried and begged for death."

I shook my head, not denying that he probably did beg and scream and cry but because I didn't want to hear about how we couldn't save him.

"Did he tell you that he tortured people too?" Beelzebub asked. "He was a pro, if I do say so myself. He enjoyed it too. That always helps, enjoying your job."

"That's why I'm going to kill you," I growled.

"Baby girl, you don't have the juice to kill something like me," Beelzebub laughed. "But you can give it your best shot, baby, I promise."

"A promise from a demon," I grumbled. "That's promising."

"Such a little racist, Hails," Beelzebub frowned. "You shouldn't hate what you are. Or are you forgetting what Azazel did to you? What Sam is doing with that demon slut?"

"Shut. Up," I snarled straining against my binds.

"Bossy little thing," Beelzebub sighed. "But, you know, I'm getting tired of talking too. Let's cut straight to the action, what do you say?"

"Fuck you," I growled.

"You and Dean are one in the same," Beelzebub shook his head backhanding me once again. "You both can't wait to provoke something that already wants you dead. It's a bad strategy, Hails, trust me."

**Dean's Point of View**

It was another lazy day at the Whitman's house in Nebraska, and I for one was enjoying the time off, even if the circumstances left a little to be desired. I couldn't really hate something that finally brought Jo and I together after we had been dancing around one another for longer than I cared to remember.

Abby, Lucy, and Hails had gone to the market to grab some stuff the we all were running low on. I glanced at my watch knowing that it was completely ridiculous to be worried but I was. I couldn't deny the honed instincts that have kept me alive for nearly my entire life. When the familiar sounds of the mustang flooded the quiet atmosphere of the house, I knew something was wrong.

I pushed off the couch running towards the front door nearly colliding with Abby and Lucy.

"What is it?" I demanded, my voice louder than it really should've been but seeing the unabashed fear in their eyes did nothing to calm my frazzled nerves. "What happened?"

"Hailey's gone!" Lucy wailed.

"Gone?" I repeated. "What do you mean gone?"

"She's gone, Dean," Abby whispered. "We ran by the aisle we last saw her in and saw a puddle of blood. Hailey was no where to be found."

"Now what is all this commotion about?" Meredith demanded.

"Hailey's missing," Abby said, projecting her voice to address the people assembled.

Waves of shock and worry rushed through familiar faces as I fought back the urge to rip the entire town about to look for her.

"Oh, dear," Meredith whimpered curling into Charles' side.

"There's a lot of empty farm houses up here," Charles said. "She's gotta be in one of them."

"Whoa, everyone freeze," Bobby ordered. "We're not going in there now."

"Hailey's missing!" Aiden protested.

"Boy, you think I'm hard of hearing all of a sudden?" Bobby retorted sharply. "We can't just rush out half-cocked. We don't know what took Hailey or why and rushing out unawares will not help her."

"Bobby's right," Missouri frowned.

"Luckily," Natasha began, "we have some advantages on our side."

"What do you see?" Aiden asked.

"It's nothing good," Natasha frowned. "It's a demon. One of the one's that escaped when the gate was open."

"Is it like Lilith?" Sam wondered.

"No," Missouri answered before anyone could breathe a sigh of relief she continued, "he's worse."

**Hailey's Point of View**

I had been screaming for as long as I possibly could but with no water or anything my voice drifted left, leaving me panting for breathe and struggling in my binds. Beelzebub had moved me from a chair to standing up straight. There was nothing holding me up anymore but I couldn't run, could barely move.

"Are you done with the histrionics?" Beelzebub demanded. "Honestly, why would god ever want Angels to bow down to the likes of you pitiful little humans. To put you lot above him?"

My teeth chattered together as my hands longed to curl around me. Beelzebub had stripped my of my clothing and shoes, saying that I wouldn't need them here I was going. I was naked as the day I was born in freezing conditions.

"What, no witty rejoinder, Hailey?" Beelzebub grinned. "What a surprise."

My glare intensified as I suddenly went airborne held in the air. He walked around me like an animal stalking its prey before he suddenly dropped me sending me crumbing to the ground. A broken cry rushed from my lips as I heard the telltale crack of bone.

"Aw, you broke your arm and your leg," Beelzebub grimaced lifting me up by my throat putting us eye-to-eye, "so fragile."

Tears leaked out of the corner of my eyes as he carried me to a table. It was more like a gurney, outfitted with restraints. He buckled me in, even though he really didn't have to. I could barely move, my energy was non-existent and even if I had any I wouldn't get far with a broken leg.

"For the leader of the Trinity you, my dear, are far from brave," Beelzebub scoffed brandishing a rather large looking knife. "I guess that's another thing that you and Dean share. An arrogance and bravado that neither of you can't back up when push comes to shove. How disappointed your father must be."

His abilities to inflict pain was astounding. How he molded one attack to target my mental, physical, and emotional insecurities, sucking me back into memories that I wish never existed. That I never remembered. My defenses were being stripped away inch by painful inch, every time I resurfaced I had more bruises, cuts, and broken bones.

_It was cold, far too cold to be outside but my father, Dean and I weren't just exposed to the elements in subfreezing temperatures with no food or supplies to speak of. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. We thought that it was a black dog, every single sign we caught pointed at that very thing. Imagine our surprise when a family of regular Freddy Krueger's waited for us in that abandoned cabin. We had retreated but not before Dad and Dean were hurt and badly. I had barely gotten them away and poured a ring of salt before I had gotten a knife through my arm, cutting dangerously close to an artery. I tied it off with my belt, praying that the blood would stop._

_Dad and Dean were far worse. Their skin pale and hot. I had tied Dad's belt around his leg attempting to stall the bleeding putting as much pressure as I could on the wound. I used my jacket, watching horrified as blood continued to soak through. Dean was attempting to help, putting pressure on his own wound but it wasn't enough._

_We still had hours until morning, the family had stuck to killing people at night, which was why we thought it was a black dog in the first place. Suddenly the satellite phone in dad's bag went off and I scrambled for it._

"_Hello?" I gasped._

"_Hailey?" Bobby demanded. "Darlin' why are you answering your daddy's phone?"_

"_Bobby, you have to help me," I cried. "Dad and Dean are bleeding out and nothing I'm doing is stopping the blood flow."_

"_You just make sure they keep pressure on those wounds, Hailey, I'll be there as soon as possible."_

Blood flowed freely from the cuts on my stomach as Beelzebub looked down at me, "How old were you then, Hailey? Answer me!"

I gasped as the knife swung down leaving a gaping cut down the length of my bicep, "Fifteen!" I croaked.

"Haven't learned much between then and now, have you?" Beelzebub responded. "I thought I'd have my hands full getting a hold of you. But the entire Trinity was out in the open without backup, not even five minutes away from a house full of hunters."

My eyes slammed shut, rolling in the back of my head before a stinging slap brought me back from the brink of unconsciousness, "You still with me, Hails? Because I have a lot more fun things planned."

_June was a bad time all around and it always had been. It was because on June 13, 1990 my mother was murdered by the very same demon that had gone after Sam six years before. Dean and Sammy use to tell me stories about what life was like before mom was murdered. Back when Dad was just a mechanic and mom stayed home to raise and look after us. Dean always said that as much as mom loved us boys, she loved you more because you were her little girl._

_Yeah, I was her little girl that got her killed. I sighed sneaking around one of the safe houses that dad had bought. How he had enough money to set them up all over the country was beyond me but it helped to have a house to ourselves when we were in between hunts. It was even better that we were not around other people when June 13__th__ rolled around._

_Dad was no saint and the older I got I realized that, he drank and he slept around but he never would hit us out of anger at least not in his right mind. Dad wasn't a nice drunk and we kids learned early to just give the old man his space when he was drinking especially when he was trying to forget what happened all those years ago._

"_You look so much like her, Hailey," Dad spat as I brought him another beer and some dinner._

_It really should've been a compliment. I had seen enough pictures of mom to know that she was a beautiful woman but with the glare that dad was leveling at me I knew that he was cursing our likeness, mocking him for all that he lost._

_Dean had ordered me a long time ago that I was not to go around Dad when he was wasted but it was only Dad and I at the house. Sam and Aiden were out with their friends, Dean was hustling pool, and Dad was drowning his sorrows._

"_I'm sorry, dad," I whispered._

"_Just get out of my sight," Dad grumbled sending me scrambling away._

"You're father won't win any father-of-the-year awards, that's for sure," Beelzebub snickered as tears slid down my face.

"You don't know crap about my dad," I wheezed.

"I know a lot more than you think," Beelzebub replied. "He was borderline abusive at times and yet you and your brothers worshipped the ground he walked on."

I couldn't argue against him mostly because I had used up the majority of my air supply trying to defend my father. I knew that he wasn't perfect, he raised four of us on the road with Dean picking up more than enough of his slack, enough so that I felt that Dean was more deserving of the father title tan my actual father. But, I couldn't discount the fact that Dad had made us into the hunters we were today, had sat with us when we were sick, and had helped us with our homework. For as much as Dad was gone during my childhood I could count every bad memory with at least five good ones.

My body was trembling from the amount of pain I was in but suddenly none of that mattered. Air filled my lungs easily and the pressure that I had been previously restrained by fell away. I swung my legs over the side and slid down. Beelzebub backed up and gazed at e with more than a hint of fear in his eyes.

"This isn't possible," Beelzebub whispered.

"Have you lost all of your faith?" I asked. Or at least my mouth moved but it wasn't me who spoke the words. It was the same voice that rushed past my lips the night Dean died. That same centuries old feeling was back. The feeling that I was no longer in control of my own body.

**Dean's Point of View**

It wasn't looking good it had been hours and nothing had turned up. At least nothing we could use. It was discovered, quite quickly that Lucy and Abby were far more connected to Hailey than I realized. It was almost as if there was a twin telepathy thing going on only ten times stronger. That was discovered only after they started screaming and crying.

Missouri and Natasha had been calming them down after bringing us up on exactly what Beelzebub was and honestly the facts weren't good. My only experience angels hadn't been exactly pleasant. What with Castiel threatening to toss my ass back to hell just for getting smart with him. But, Beelzebub was a fallen angel, just like Lucifer, nothing good ever came from this guy being around.

"Abigail Chase, you wait just one minute, girl," Missouri snapped. "And where do you think you're going, Lucy Eleanor Mackenzie?"

"What's going on?" I asked.

Abby and Lucy rushed by me going straight towards the front door.

"Dean, stop them!" Missouri ordered.

"Guys?" I called.

"We must go, Dean Winchester," Abby intoned.

"The leader of the Trinity cannot die," Lucy stated.

"We don't even know where she is," I argued.

"Worry not, Dean Winchester," Abby replied. "All will be fine."

"Dean," Aiden whispered. "It's not them."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"Remember when we told you about that weird incantation thing that the girls did?" Aiden began. "This was the exact same way they spoke. Listen to them Dean, they're not speaking like they normally would."

"We must go now," Lucy said.

"We're going to follow them," I replied. "Get Sam and let's go."

"Sammy!" Aiden shouted. "We gotta go!"

Sam moved quickly from the study with Darren on his heels as we followed after where the girls had gone. I don't even know how they knew where Hailey was but I wasn't going to chance it as we broke every speeding law to get to an abandoned warehouse outside of Wichita. Without concern as to what they were dealing with, they barged into the bar with Aiden, Sam, Darren and I on their heels.

The first thing I noticed was the blood. It was everywhere nearly painting any and every available surface. It was too much blood but Hailey was on her feet. Her blue eyes met mine and I recoiled. That was not my sister, those eyes had seen much more than Hailey had ever seen. They were wise, old eyes and that's when I noticed that there was almost a glow surrounding the girls where Abby, Lucy, and Hailey were holding each other's hands. In the middle of the circle was Beelzebub. The second thing I noticed was the fact that Hailey was naked. She would've been mortified but whatever was inside her didn't seem to care.

It took a moment to realize that they were chanting something over and over again but it wasn't in Latin, it was spoken in what I realized to be Sumerian. With a blinding flash of light Beelzebub had vanished. Before any of us could move towards them Abby, Lucy, and Hailey snapped out of it. Abby and Lucy looked confused. But, Hailey's reaction was worse. She tilted her head slowly any color she might have had faded before her legs buckled underneath her, her eyes rolling in her head. Abby and Lucy reacted quickly catching her before she hit the floor. I rushed forward taking my sister out of their arms. I pulled my jacket off wrapping it around her naked frame. She should've been shivering or something instead her head hung listlessly to the side as I carried her towards the car.

"Closest hospital?" I asked Darren.

"I'll drive?" Darren offered.

"Go," I ordered. "She's barely breathing."

A look of pain flitted across Darren's features as he gazed at Hailey for a moment before taking the keys and hopping into the driver's side while I gently placed Hailey in the back of the car, slipping in beside her with Aiden on her other side as Sam rode shotgun.

"We need some help here!" I shouted once Darren rushed into the ER's parking lot.

Two orderlies rushed out with a stretcher, taking her from me as they wheeled her back through the inner doors that swung closed with an audible swoosh. There was nothing left to do but wait I didn't know what would happen and I was nervous to even think about what could possibly happen. I could still feel her weight in my arms, her body limp and cold. I sighed sitting down hard on one of the chairs in the waiting room. Sam and Aiden sat on either side of me as the girls sat across from us their faces pale and their posture tense. Within the hour the waiting room was full of other hunters. The Harvelle's, Bobby, Natasha, and the rest of the Whitman's.

Nearly four hours later a doctor finally came out of the backroom clutching a clipboard.

"Family for Hailey Winchester?" The doctor announced to the waiting room.

When nearly the entire waiting room stood he backtracked slightly his eyebrows creasing as Aiden, Sam, and I rushed towards him, while everyone hung towards the back.

"Yes?" Aiden prompted after a moment.

"You're sister just got out of surgery," The doctor sighed. "I'm not going to lie to you. We lost her twice through surgery but she's a fighter. That's a good thing since she has quite the long road before she's back to normal."

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"We ran X-rays on her left leg and arm and well the leg is broken three places," The doctor explained. "Her arm was shattered. We put some bolts along with a hard cast, to make sure it heals correctly. She's really going to have to take it easy."

Aiden, Sam, and I exchanged looks at that. In my sisters entire life I had not known her to once take it easy. What with the apocalypse looming over our heads, it seemed even less likely that she'd be prone to relaxing.

"Oh, she will, Doctor," I vowed.

"Good," The doctor replied. "We also found some deep lacerations all over her body along with at least fifty shallow cuts. What did you say happened to her?"

"We're not exactly sure, sir," Aiden said. "She didn't come home last night."

"I see," The doctor replied.

"Can we see her?" Sam asked.

"Yes," The doctor responded. "Only immediate family though."

He gave an uneasy glance to the masses assembled.

"We're actually a pretty big family," Dean smirked.

The doctor gave a small smile before turning on his heel and walking away. We followed after him as he led us straight to Hailey's room. We waited by the door for a second before Sam pushed it open.

"Oh, my god," Aiden whimpered.

"Jesus," Sam hissed.

I didn't say a word but hurt to see Hailey in that bed. She looked so small and fragile. Her skin was so pale and it was highlighted by the jagged scratch across her cheeks. Her arms had scratches all over the place or at least as much as I could see since her right arm was encased in plaster.

There were three chairs around her bed and we all sat down just watching her sleep. The deep rise and fall of her chest was the only thing that was calming me down. I fought back the urge to find somewhere safe and just lock her inside and throw away the key.

It was part and parcel of being a Winchester. We had been in way to many hospital rooms for all sorts of horrible reasons. That car accident with dad, Hailey's coma, and thousands of other near death experiences.

I don't know how long we sat by Hailey's bed, it could've been hours and we hadn't batted an eye because when one of us was in a hospital bed the others were on guard for anything and everything that could happen. But, even with the honed senses of three Winchesters we all jumped when Hailey snapped awake, screaming.

"Hailey!" Sam and I yelped as Aiden flew to restrain her hands before she could tear the IV out. Her legs kicked and her body flailed trying to fight against her attacker even if he wasn't here.

"Hay, you're safe," Aiden soothed. "Come on, calm down. You're okay. You're safe."

Her blue eyes were wet as they snapped open, tears pouring down her face as she looked at us before looking down at herself. She bit back a sob as she collapsed back on the bed looking at us. Aiden gently wrapped his long arms around her as she burrowed into his chest. She grabbed my hand and Sam laid his hand on her leg as she began to cry again.

"I was so scared," Hailey confessed.

"Do you remember what happened?" Sam asked.

"One minute I was in unbearable pain," Hailey began. I was praying for him to just end it, already, it hurt so much and then the pain just disappeared."

"Disappeared?" I repeated.

"You did that Trinity thing again," Aiden said.

"It only happens when we're really upset, I think," Hailey shrugged.

"We can talk about this later," I stated, firmly. "For now you just rest. You're safe now. We're not going anywhere. Just go back to sleep."

As Hailey shut her eyes she didn't release her grip on us. Whatever had happened had been bad, there was no doubt about that. Based on the way that Abby and Lucy reacted there had to be some Trinity switch that was just waiting to be flipped. We'd have to be more careful with the girls. They weren't going anywhere alone anymore. This couldn't happen again.

When Hailey had fallen asleep, I gently let go and told Aiden and Sam that I was going to go tell the others what was going on. I moved through the door and everyone stood up with Darren at the front of the back with Lucy and Abby right behind him.

"How is she?" Darren asked.

"She's okay," I said. "One of her arms and legs are broken, her cuts are healing. She's shaken up but she'll be okay."

Darren sighed as he lost some tension in his shoulders, "Can I see her?"

"She's sleeping right now," I said. "You can see her as soon as she wakes up."

Darren nodded sitting down in between Alex and Marley. Marley wrapped her arms around him and Alex clapped him on the back. It was weird seeing the normally mischievous eyes of Darren Whitman have a hunted quality in them. I knew how hard it must be. I could still feel the limpness of Hailey's body in my arms.


	44. Rattle Some Cages

_**Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm sorry that this chapter has taken so long. School has picked up a notch and then sorta fell by the wayside between two back to back blizzards. Yeah, uh, that's four feet of snow. So, I've been enjoying the snow days and have been fighting off a pretty bad Upper ****Respiratory Infection. I'm really sorry and I can promise that the next chapter will come out ten times faster than this one did. As always please review, you guys rock. Happy Reading! ~Beccatdemon13**_

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**_**Chapter Forty-Four: Rattle Some Cages**

_Some things in life are unavoidable. They can be ignored for a moment, pushed aside for a while, but in the end they return to be embraced or to destroy us._

**Darren's Point of View**

"_It's a fearful thing to love what death can touch."_

I had never felt anything like it but I knew the second I saw Hailey with Abby and Lucy, her body naked and vulnerable, bloody and broken, that I loved her with every fiber of my being. When Abby and Lucy went pale and Hailey tipped forward my heart clenched before nearly stopping all together. The way she dangled limp in Dean's arms her lips blue, her body frighteningly pale, I thought I had lost her. After all of this, after all we had been through I had lost. All because I didn't go to the grocery store with them.

The Hailey Winchester I loved now was not the same Hailey Winchester I knew from my childhood. Sure, they were one in the same but they were different as well. Sometimes it was good but most of the time it wasn't. Her haunted big blue eyes telling tales that she would never talk about willingly. They both had the same spirit; I didn't know very many people who weren't afraid to go toe-to-toe with John Winchester. My father was one of them, Bobby was another, but Sam and Hailey were the two that never backed down even when it was in their best interest.

Personally, I think I had a dodged a bullet in that by the time Hailey and I got together the biggest thing I had to worry about was Dean. I had seen John strike fear into the very being of lesser men and dean could be just as intimidating but if given the choice I'd pick Dean a thousand times over.

John had the tendency to be a complete and total asshole to people but that man loved his children. He loved Hailey most of all, she was his baby girl and nothing was going to change that. I had seen Hailey use it to her advantage in the past but for as much as he loved Hailey and Hailey loved him they just didn't understand each other. I guess when Dean had basically raised her since she was a baby, he was the one who could read her like an open book, but her father never mastered that talent.

He didn't know that when she was angry her nose would flare just the littlest bit. When she was upset or was trying to avoid a lie she'd bite her lip, the worse the lie or the more upset she was the harder she'd bite it. He didn't know that when you had hurt her feelings her dark blue eyes would get even darker and if she was trying to not think of something she'd avoid eye contact with everyone and isolate herself.

There were a lot of things I learned about Hailey in the short time we had been together. It was the way she held herself it wasn't with arrogance, but more of an elegant confidence, she knew exactly what she was capable of and who had her back. I knew that seconds before she threw a punch she would eye you critically, her eyes narrowing before she swung. It wasn't a telegraphed punch; it was more like she was calculating how much time it would take to get out of a situation. I knew that despite how good Hailey was at this job, and how much she detested high school and the quote 'normal' life, that she'd trade it all for an instant if only her family would be safe.

Sitting in those horrendously uncomfortable plastic, orange chairs was part and parcel for being a hunter. Either you were in the hospital bed or you were sitting by someone's side. It felt like I had just gotten out of that hospital bed when Hailey was thrown back in it. One of her small, slender arms was encased in plaster, along with one of her legs. I held her hand in my own watching as she breathed. It was always a good sign when someone could breathe on their own but it hurt to watch her to take shallow ragged breathes. It was so much effort for something that shouldn't have be all that difficult. At least her hand was holding mine firmly, even in sleep. Her warm palm squeezing my own hand whenever I moved. Occasionally her eyes would flew open and make sure that I was still there before going back to sleep.

It was weird to see Hailey sleeping as much as she had been. Most of the time Hailey Winchester was insomnia personified so I guess she was making up for lost time. Part of me thought it was a good thing that Hailey was sleeping this much because she hated hospital and already she had been in one for two weeks. By the time that she began getting back to her normal bouts of insomnia, her lacerations were healing and her broken limbs were healing remarkably well.

The other thing about the Winchester family was that you could tell exactly how the dynamic between Dean, Sam, Aiden, and Hailey worked when one of them were injured. Even when I was in her room, I knew her brothers weren't that far way, just in case she woke up. I didn't know if that was more for her benefit or theirs. Especially since the last couple of times she had woken up fully, she had woken up screaming.

The past few times Hailey had woken up, she came up swinging. If it wasn't for my reflexes she would've punched me in the face any number of times. Whenever she was awake for more than a couple minutes we'd stare awkwardly at each other. I wanted so badly to ask her what had happened. It had no doubt been horrible but I wanted to help. But, I knew instinctively that there were some things that I just wouldn't be able to help her with, no matter how much I wanted too.

"Why so serious?" Hailey quipped. Her voice still hoarse but there was no doubt who she was trying to imitate.

I jerked back in surprise at seeing Hailey awake. She looked comfortable, smirking at me teasingly.

"Hails," I grinned. "You okay?"

"Been better," Hailey shrugged holding up the arm that IV in it. "I'm sorry, Darren."

"Sorry for what?" I asked.

"For this mess?" Hailey mumbled.

My eyebrows raised as I looked at my girlfriend completely floored. Her normally pale, silky skin was covered in bruises one of her gorgeous blue eyes were blacked and here she was apologizing to me? I should've been there for her. I should've gone to the grocery store with them? I should've realized that something would go wrong and I hadn't and that was my fault.

"What do you have to be sorry for, baby?" I asked, incredulously.

Her eyes began to water as she glared up at the ceiling. Her brothers were going to kill me. The first time she was actually awake and I had made her cry. I got up off the chair and pulled Hailey's face into my hands, gently wiping away her tears with the pads of my thumbs, "You have nothing to be sorry for, Hails, you're the bravest girl I know."

Before she could comment, I kissed her softly as she melted against me. When I heard footsteps echo in the hallway, I pulled away surprised when she grabbed my wrist. I couldn't ask her what she was doing she pulled me forward until I nearly fell on top of her. Realizing what she wanted I toed off my shoes, gently climbing into bed along side her. She laid against my chest, our hands intertwined between us as he watched crappy daytime television.

"Hay," Aiden whispered.

Aiden moved into the room, dropping into the chair I had just vacated and grabbing her other hand. She smiled at him as he looked at her.

"You scared a lot of people, Hailey," Aiden rasped. "I don't know what we would've done if we had lost you."

"You honestly think you could've gotten rid of me that easily?" Hailey responded.

Aiden scoffed eyeing Hailey up and down looking for anything that could be wrong. There was something Hailey wasn't telling us for as relaxed as she was her shoulders were tense and she seemed a little more paranoid. Not that it was surprising she had been kidnapped and tortured.

"Morning, sleepy head," A nurse exclaimed.

"What do you want?" Hailey grumbled.

"Hay," Aiden reproached

"I just want to check your vitals," The nurse soothed.

"No," Hailey retorted, sharply.

"Hails it's all right," I whispered.

"What's going on in here?" Dean asked.

"Hailey won't let the nurse near her," Aiden stated.

"Hails," Dean said. "It's all right. She's not going to hurt you."

"That's where you're wrong, sugar," The nurse smiled.

We all turned to the nurse completely bewildered. She seemed so nice and friendly at least until her eyes flickered to black.

"You can't be here," Dean growled. "This is hallowed ground."

"Something like that doesn't work on something like me," the demonic nurse laughed. The door to Hailey's room slammed shut as Aiden and I scrambled in front of Hailey.

The nurse spun in a half circle punching Dean in the stomach before flinging him across the room, sending him crashing into the opposite wall. Aiden and I looked at one another before we rushed the demon, slamming the nurse against the wall. Hailey had pulled out her IV and was standing awkwardly on one good leg as she glared at the nurse.

"You all don't understand," The demon grinned. "We won't stop coming. The armies of hell are gunning straight towards you, little girl and nothing you can do will stop it."

"Except exorcise every single one of you that are stupid enough to try," Hailey growled.

A sense of pride surged as Hailey rattled off the exorcism rite faster than I had ever heard before. As the demon rushed out of the nurse's body, Hailey sagged back against the bed while Aiden and I carefully put the nurse on the ground as Aiden rushed over to Dean.

"Dean?" Aiden asked. "Dean, come on, wake up."

Dean groaned as he came to, shaking his head as he stood to his feet nearly collapsing into the chair by Hailey's bed.

"Are you okay?" Hailey asked.

"I'm fine, Hails," Dean sighed "But we have to get you out of here and move. The demon's right you're a sitting duck."

"I'll be a sitting duck anywhere with a bum leg," Hailey frowned.

**Hailey Point of View**

Ten hours and a whole hell of a lot of arguing later I had been not only discharged from the hospital but we had moved to Bobby's Salvage Yard in South Dakota. Not everyone had gone with us to South Dakota, Ellen, Alex, Charles, and Meredith had stayed behind. Honestly, I don't think anyone would care, just as long as we were on land that demons couldn't even step on. Bobby had made sure of that after Meg had gotten into the lot and killed Rumsfeld.

"You okay there, Hails?" Sam asked.

"Yes, Sammy, I'm fine," I mumbled. "Is Dean ever going to give me back my crutches?"

"He wants you to take it easy," Sam sighed.

"So, he steals my crutches?" I fumed.

"It does make it harder for you to maneuver around," Sam shrugged.

"I'll hop around," I growled.

"You'll do no such thing," Dean retorted sharply. "You're going to rest and you aren't going anywhere without your crutches."

Aiden had come into the room after Dean and sat down on the edge of my bed. I looked around the room noticing for the first time that it was only my brothers and I. I don't think it had been that way since Dean found out about Sam and Ruby.

It was nice in a way, sure Dean was glaring at me in a way that made me really uncomfortable, but then again he absolutely hated it when I threatened to go crutchless whenever I had broken my leg. I think that my leg was the go to limb for me to break. I had broken it on my first hunt, I broke it again the car accident, and lo and behold I had broken it again.

Sam looked like he was about to speak when I heard what could only be described as a fluttering of wings before Castiel popped into the room. Dean and I didn't flinch but Aiden and Sam looked at the angel in confusion.

"Who are you?" Aiden growled.

"It's the angel," Dean said. "Castiel."

"Hello Aiden," Castiel greeted. "Hello Sam."

Aiden still looked at Castiel curiously but Sam's reaction was much different. He was smiling and moved forward holding out his hand to shake Castiel's.

"Oh, my god," Sam exclaimed and then began to backtrack, "Er, uh, I didn't mean to…sorry. It's an honor, really, I've heard a lot about you."

Castiel looks at Sam's hand in confusion before Sam shook it a little. Castiel finally understood it then and put his hand into Sam's.

"And I, you, Sam Winchester," Castiel intoned. "The boy with the demon blood. Glad to see you've ceased your extracurricular activities."

I winced uncomfortably at the expression of hurt on Sam's face. Castiel didn't understand the finer nuances of human emotion that much was clear. But, if anyone knew our family it was that out of all of us, it was Sam who was the most religious the one who prayed every single day. The one who sat at complete attention whenever we were at Pastor Jim's. Whenever we were staying at Pastor Jim's we were required to attend mass. It was actually quite interesting but it was Sam who couldn't get enough of it.

"Halloween approaches," the angel noted.

"You're point?" Dean asked.

"There is a town in the need of your immediate assistance," Castiel explained.

"We're a little preoccupied at the moment," Aiden replied.

"What is wrong, Hailey Winchester?" Castiel questioned.

"My leg and arm are broken," I grumbled.

Castiel approached the bed that I was sitting on and stared down at my leg. Suddenly he placed one of his hands on my thigh than the other one on my shin.

"What are you doing?" Dean growled.

I gasped more in surprise than pain. The area that had been numb before was suddenly hot and yet freezing. It was the weirdest sensation of water being poured over my leg before he did the same thing to my arm. Castiel then cut off both casts. I flexed my fingers and wiggled my toes.

"She has been healed," Castiel intoned.

"Sweet," I grinned. "Thanks, Cas."

I smiled up at my brothers who looked surprised to say the least. I sprang out of bed savoring the feeling of walking around without crutches. Who knew that knowing an angel would come in handy?

"You are needed in Rock Ridge, Colorado."

Before anyone could question the angel he vanished with another flurry of flapping wings, leaving my brothers and I staring at one another asking, 'Did that really just happen?'

"I have to admit we've gotten hunts through, e-mail, text message, phone calls, and the random fax, but angel message delivery?" Dean mused. "That's a new one. Anyway, you heard him, let's get the lead out."

Seeing no other choice I began to pack up my stuff as my brothers left my room. I was nearly skipping as I gathered any closed that I had managed to take out of my duffel bag. The remains of the cast was in a pile of dust on the ground and I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Before I had been looking at being benched for at least another month and with two stupid casts I wouldn't be able to do anything, now I was as free as a bird. Or at least nearly so I couldn't move to fast because some of my stitches might tear but other than that I was able to do anything I wanted.

"What is going on?" Bobby demanded as he came up the stairs and into the whirlwind that was the Winchesters packing up. "Where do y'all think you're going."

"We have a hunt," Aiden replied.

"Oh, do you now?" Bobby retorted. "What about your sister? And who gave you this hunt?"

"Castiel," Aiden shrugged. "He also healed Hailey."

"Hey Bobby," I grinned coming out of my room with both duffel bags around my shoulders.

"Hailey?" Bobby gasped.

"The one and only," I smirked. "Look I'm all better."

"I wouldn't go that far," Dean grumbled.

"He's grumpy," I whispered.

"Hailey," Dean warned as Bobby raised his eyebrow.

"Well, ain't someone in a good mood?" Bobby laughed.

"Oh, Bobby, you have no idea," I laughed as before Dean or Bobby could say another word I swung my leg over the banister and slid down to the first floor landing ignoring the sharp reprimand that Dean had thrown my way.

I loved Bobby's house and always had. Not only was it the best place to play hide and seek but this banister was always fun to slid down. I don't think I had slid down it since I was ten or so. Mostly because the last time I did I got a little too much speed and ended up flying straight of the banister and into Dad's chest, nearly knocking him over.

"Hailey?" Darren gaped.

"Hi, Darren," I grinned.

"How?" Darren gestured.

"Angels," I shrugged. "Gotta love it."

"An angel healed you?" Darren repeated.

"Yup," I nodded. "Because we have a hunt."

"Where are you going?" Darren asked.

"Rock Ridge, Colorado," I answered.

"Hailey, don't you think it's a little soon?" Darren questioned.

"No," I replied. "I'm fine, Darren."

"Yeah, but," Darren huffed.

"Darren, please, I have to go," I whispered. "Can you watch out for Lucy and Abby? We'll come back here after the hunt, I promise."

"Come on, Hay, we gotta go," Aiden prodded.

I kissed Darren and said goodbye to everyone else as my brothers and I climbed into the impala on our way to Rock Ridge. I wondered what was so important that an angel would tell us to go there. Most of the way there was in silence until I pulled out my laptop and googled Rock Ridge.

"Uh, guys?" I called. "I think I found out why we were sent here?"

"What is it?"

"A guy named Luke Wallace died by swallowing razor blades in Halloween candy," I said.

"Seriously, Hailey?" Dean scoffed. "Razor blades?"

"Two were found on the floor, one in his stomach, one was stuck in his throat," I stated.

"What the hell?" Aiden gaped. "Four razor blades."

"Yup," I muttered.

"We'll interview the family?" Sam suggested.

"What could've done this?" I asked.

"Anything," Dean shrugged. "It could also be someone who just put razor blades in the candy."

"Yeah but what anything is important enough for an angel to point us in this direction?" I demanded.

That stopped any conversation as we all just sat back and thought about it. Truth was we had no idea what we were going into and that didn't sit well with me. I frowned as the landscape whizzed by. Early the next morning we had arrived in Rock Ridge, Colorado and had settled into the motel room. Dean and Sam had gone to the home where the guy had died to interview his wife. She was the one who had found his body.

Aiden and I took the advantage of the time we had by sleeping on real beds. For as comfortable as the impala was, nothing would ever beat a bed. Even if it was a gross motel room bed. I don't know when Sam and Dean came back I guess because Sam had come back first and crept in quietly while Dean slammed into the room holding a giant tube of candy.

"Oh, awesome," Aiden whooped crawling out of bed and snagging the container out of Dean's hand as he took a fistful.

Dean's mouth had been full of candy as he thwacked Aiden's chest in reproach as he grabbed the container back.

"Really, you two, after that guy choked down all those razor blades?"

"It's Halloween, man," Dean shrugged.

"Yeah, Sam don't be such a killjoy."

"Everyday for us is Halloween," Sam retorted.

"Way to look at things optimistically, Sammy, I'm so proud," I quipped grabbing a chocolate out of the tube and taking a bite. "You bring back any real food?"

"It's on the table," Dean gestured as I grabbed the take out bag from the local diner. In my container was a Philly cheese steak and French fries. I sat down next to Sam and began to eat.

"So, what'd we miss?" Aiden asked.

"Witches," Sam said. "We're on a witch hunt, that's for sure, but this isn't your typical hexbag."

I eyed the hex bag laid out on the table. There's a silver piece, something small and charred, and a some sort of curly flower."

"No?" Dean responded.

"Goldthread," Sam started holding up the flower, "an herb that's been extinct for two hundred years. The coin is Celtic and I don't mean some new age knockoff. It looks like the real deal, like six hundred years old real."

Dean picked up the small charred thing and smelled it.

"And, um, that's the charred metacarpal bone of a newborn baby," Sam stated smirking at Dean who threw the bone down in disgust. "Relax, man, it's like, at least a hundred years old."

"Oh, right, like that makes it so much better? Witches man, they're so fucking skeevy," Dean shuddered.

"Yeah, well, it takes a pretty powerful one to put a bag like this together," Sam frowned. "More juice than we've ever dealt with, that's for sure. What about you? Find anything on the victim."

"This Luke Wallace?" Dean scoffed. "He was so vanilla that he made vanilla seem spicy. I can't find any reason why somebody would want this guy dead."

"What are we supposed to do?" Sam growled. "Just wait for someone else to die?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Aiden shrugged.

As much as we didn't want that to be the game plan, it was sort of the only one we had. In this entire town, one person had died a not so normal death. There were no other links to him and his family. So, all we were able to do was research and eat candy. We set up our police scanner and settled in for a long and boring night. Or that was what I thought the night would entail until two units were sent to a house where a party had ended badly.

By the time we pulled up to the scene of the crime Forensics were everywhere along with an ambulance, and a few cops who were interviewing the witnesses.

"Have you been drinking?" A police officer asked a girl with long, blond hair and big green eyes, dressed as a cheerleader.

"Yes" The girl answered.

"Bobbing for apples? This was one hell of a party," Aiden snickered, lowly before Dean cuffed him upside the head. We all stop just on the outskirts of where the questioning was taking place before Aiden brushed by both Sam and Dean saying how he got this.

"Dude, two words," Sam laughed. "Jail bait."

"I would never," Aiden smirked.

"Y'all are disgusting," I rolled my eyes.

"It's just so weird," The girl told the officer as Aiden approached. "The water in the tub wasn't hot, I had just been in there myself."

"Your friend didn't happen to know a man named Luke Wallace?" Aiden asked. He showed the girl his badge.

"Agent Seger, FBI," Aiden stated. "And you are?"

"Tracy Davis," The girl said. "Who's Luke Wallace?"

"He died yesterday," Aiden said.

"I don't know who that is," Tracy replied.

While Aiden had been interviewing Tracy, Dean, Sam, and I had fanned out searching the basement for hex bags. Sam cleared his throat a few minutes later, holding up the hex bag he had found in the couch cousins. Aiden nodded saying a quick goodbye to Tracy as we made our way back to the motel room.

After we had gotten some sleep and some more food, we had begun to research again. Dean was on one of the laptops sitting near the table. Sam was lying on the bed looking through various books while Aiden and I were looking through background information trying to find anything that connected our two victims together.

"I'm telling you," Dean frowned. "Both of these victims are squeaky clean. There's no reason for wicked bitch payback."

"Maybe because it's not about that," Sam said sitting up straight.

We all swiveled around to look at Sam in confusion.

"Wow," Dean dead-panned, "Insightful."

"Maybe this witch isn't working a grudge," Sam continued after glaring at Dean for his sarcasm, "maybe they're working a spell, check this out."

We all stopped what we were doing turning to Sam as he began to read out of one of the books. I didn't recognize it immediately, so it must've been Bobby's, "Three blood sacrifices over three days, the last before midnight on the final day of the final harvest. On the Celtic Calendar, the final day of the final harvest is October 31st."

Sam handed the book to Dean who read the passage over quickly, "Halloween?"

"Exactly," Sam nodded.

"What exactly are the blood sacrifices for?"

"Uh, if I'm right, this witch is summoning a demon, and not just any demon, Samhain," Sam hissed.

"You're telling me there's a demon named Samhain?" I asked.

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" Dean scoffed.

"Dean, Samhain is the damn origin of Halloween," Sam stated. "The Celts believed that October 31st was the one night of the year when the veil was the thinnest between the living and the dead, and it was Samhain's night. I mean, masks were put on to hide from him, sweets left on doorsteps to appease him, faces carved into pumpkins to worship him. He was exorcised centuries ago."

"So, even though Samhain took a trip downstairs the traditions stuck?" Dean mused.

"Exactly, only now instead of demons and blood orgies Halloween is about kids, candy and costumes."

"Okay, so some witch wants to raise Samhain and take back the night?" Dean scoffed.

"Dean, this is serious," Sam complained.

"I am serious," Dean grinned.

"Dude, when are you ever serious?" Aiden laughed.

"Guys," Sam frowned. "We're talking heavyweight witchcraft. This ritual can only be performed every six hundred years."

"And the six hundred year marker rolls around…?"

"Tomorrow night," Sam answered.

"Naturally," Dean rolled his eyes. "Well, it sure is a lot of death and destruction for one demon."

"That's because he likes company," Sam said, "Once he's raised, Samhain does some raising of his own."

"And he raises what exactly?" I asked.

"Dark, evil crap and lots of it, I mean, they follow him around like the friggin Pied Piper," Sam growled.

"So, we're talking ghosts?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded.

"Zombies?" Dean asked.

"Mm-hmm," Sam sighed.

"Leprechauns?" Dean quipped, as Aiden and I laughed.

"Dean," Sam groaned. "Guys, don't encourage him."

"Those little dudes are scary, small hands," Dean stated.

"Sounds just like your kinda woman, Sammy," Aiden winked.

"I'll tell Marley you said that," Sam retorted punching Aiden in the shoulder. "Look, it just starts out with ghost and ghouls, this sucker keeps on going, by nights end we're talking every awful thing we've ever seen. Everything we fight, all in on place."

"It's gonna be a slaughterhouse," Dean grimaced, suddenly sober.

The joking mood that had been in place for the past couple of days fell away as we realized exactly what we were dealing with and it wasn't good. There wasn't really much else we could do. So, we went to bed planning to wake up early and figure things out.

It felt like I had just fallen asleep when I was being shaken awake. I rubbed my eyes and blinked as I looked around. Standing in front of me was Dean already dressed. I looked at the clock and saw that it was only six in the morning. I glowered at Dean but got ready nonetheless. Thirty minutes later we were staking out the Wallace's house again while Sam and Aiden did more research.

"I don't know why you dragged me along if you wouldn't let me question, Mrs. Razor Blade," I mumbled as Dean got back into the car after interviewing Mrs. Wallace for a second time.

"Don't whine, Hailey," Dean reproached.

I shot Dean a glare as I looked around the neighborhood, barely flinching when Dean's phone went off. I heard Sam's voice on the other end, he sounded just as frustrated as we did. The only thing we could do was find the witch and kill her before Samhain was raised. If he was raised then we'd exorcise him again.

"How's it going?" Sam asked.

"Awesome," Dean answered sarcastically. "Yeah, I talked with Mrs. Razor Blade again I've been sitting outside her house for hours and we've gotta big steamy pile of nothing."

"Look, Dean, someone planted those hex bags, someone with access to both houses, there's gotta be a connection."

"Yeah, well I hope we find 'em soon cause I'm starting to cramp like a…" Dean grumbled.

I didn't hear Dean finish his sentence because I was watching what we had been waiting for. Tracy was walking up to the Wallace's house. I smacked Dean in the shoulder and pointed in her direction.

"Son of a bitch," Dean hissed.

"Dude, quit whining," Sam scolded. As we watched the front door open with Mrs. Wallace holding the baby. She waved Tracy inside as Dean and I looked at each other. Yahzee.

"No, Sam," Dean growled. "I mean, son of a bitch."

I rolled my eyes as Dean ended the call, and threw the impala in reverse gunning it back to the motel room. The impala sped into the parking lot and we were both moving as soon as Dean cut the engine. Dean threw open the motel room rushing through the door as I followed behind him, shutting it behind us. Aiden and Sam were lying on either motel bed, both on were on the laptops.

"So, our apple bobbing cheerleader," Sam sighed.

"She's the Wallace's babysitter, she told Aiden she never even heard of Luke Wallace," Dean growled.

"Huh, interesting look for a centuries old witch," Sam mused.

"Yeah, well, if you were a six hundred year old hag, and you could pick any costume to come back in wouldn't you go for a hot cheerleader? I would," Dean shrugged.

"Course you would," Aiden snickered.

"Well, Tracy's not as wholesome as she looks," Sam said. "I did some digging apparently she got into a violent altercation with one of her teachers, got suspended from school."

"And there's been a ton of fights between classmates," Aiden added. "A few petty shoplifting charges too."

"Guess the next stop is to talk to the teacher," Dean said.

"Hailey and I can talk to students in the class," Aiden suggested. "See what really happened?"

"Alright," Dean shrugged. "Let's go."

Aiden and I got changed into suits and grabbed our fake FBI badges. I slid into my black high heels, and straightened my pencil skirt as I fixed my hair into a bun, following my brothers out the door. We made a plan to meet back out front within the hour and then splintered off. Aiden and I got a list of her friends from the administration and interviewed with each of them. Talking to these people made me realize how much I didn't miss high school. Between the friend who had done a little much weed, and the ditzy cheerleader, I was ready to blow my brains out.

"Well, that was helpful," I muttered as Aiden and I walked back to the impala.

"Aw, come on, Hay, it wasn't that bad," Aiden cajoled.

"Each one of 'em was dumber than the last, made you look intelligent," I snickered.

"Cute, smartass," Aiden laughed hip checking me into the side of the impala as he loosened his tie. "Here they come."

"What do you got?" I asked.

"Nothing," Dean grumbled. "Apparently she almost clawed Don Harding's eyes out and the principle walked by and stopped her. Her friends helpful?"

"Nope," Aiden said. "Tracy wasn't anywhere we could find and her friends had no idea where she was. It's like the bitch hopped a broomstick."

We all sighed glaring at the ground. Luck was not on our side with this hunt. The ride back to the motel room was a quiet one as we all thought about what we could do. I was about to suggest a locating spell that Reid had taught us when Dean stopped my approach into the room with a hand on my arm.

"What is it?" I asked.

Before either Dean or Aiden could answer me, Sam had barked, "Who the hell are you?"

"Sam! Sam, wait!" Dean ordered placing his hand on Sam's arm lowering the gun. "It's Castiel."

I walked through the door and noticed that there was someone else standing by the window, "Him, I don't know. Who's your friend, Cas?"

"Dean, have you located the witch?" Castiel asked ignoring Dean's question.

"Yes, we've located the witch," Dean repeated, sarcastically.

"And is the witch dead?" Castiel questioned.

"No, but…" Sam began.

"We know who it is," Dean finished.

"Apparently the witch knows who you are too," Castiel mused as he held up a hex bag. "This was inside the wall of your room. If we hadn't found it, surely one or all of you would be dead. Do you know where the witch is now?"

We all exchanged glances and it was Dean who answered, "We're working on it."

"That's unfortunate," Castiel frowned.

"What do you care?"

"The raising of Samhain is one of the sixty-six seals," Castiel stated.

"So, this is about your buddy Lucifer," Dean surmised.

"Lucifer is no friend of ours," The stranger growled. He was still facing away from us. Aiden and I exchanged glances.

"Lucifer cannot rise, the breaking of the seal must be prevented at all costs," Castiel responded.

"Okay, great, well now that you're here, why don't you tell us where the witch is, we'll gank her, and everyone goes home," Dean suggested. "In fact, why didn't you just take care of it? You're the one who sent us here in the first place."

"We are not omniscient, this witch is very powerful," Castiel explained, "She's cloaked even our methods."

"Okay, well we already know who she is, so if we work together," Sam began.

"Enough of this," The stranger barked. His tone was commanding but tit didn't work on us. I knew without looking that all of us were now glaring at this person.

"Okay, who are you and why should we care?" Dean hissed.

The person finally turned from the window and stepped into the light. He was wearing a nice business suit.

"This is Uriel, he's what you might call a specialist," Castiel introduced.

"What kind of specialist?" Dean asked. "What are you going to do?"

"You, uh all of you, need to leave this town immediately," Castiel ordered.

"You just sent us here," I protested.

"Why?" Dean asked sending me a firm let-me-handle-this look.

"Because, we're about to destroy it," Castiel said simply.


	45. Be All My Sins Remembered

**Chapter Forty-Five: Be All My Sins Remembered**

"_Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys."_

"So, this is your plan?" Dean demanded. "You're gonna smite the whole fucking town?"

We all stared at the angels our shock was nearly overwhelming. They didn't just suggest that they would blow an entire town off the map just to save a seal.

"We're out of time, this witch has to die, the seal must be saved," Castiel growled.

"There are a thousand people here," Sam protested.

"One thousand two hundred fourteen," Uriel corrected.

"And you're willing to kill them all?" Sam questioned.

"This isn't the first time I've…purified a city," Uriel smiled.

"Look, I understand that this is regrettable," Castiel sighed.

"Regrettable?" Dean repeated.

"We have to hold the line; to many seals have been broken already," Castiel explained.

"So, you screw the pooch on some seals and this town has to pay the price?" Dean growled.

"It's the lives of one thousand against the lives of six billion, there's a bigger picture here," Castiel retorted.

"Right, cause you're bigger picture kind of guys," Dean rolled his eyes.

"Lucifer cannot rise, he does and hell rises with him," Castiel hissed. "Is that something that you're willing to risk?"

"We'll stop this witch before she summons anyone," Sam groaned. "Your seal won't be broken and no one has to die."

"We're wasting time with these mud monkeys," Uriel growled.

"Excuse me?" I demanded.

"We have our orders," Castiel commented.

"No, you can't do this, you're angels, I mean aren't you supposed to show mercy?" Sam whispered.

"Says who?" Uriel snapped.

"We have no choice," Castiel replied.

"Of course, you have a choice, I mean, come on, what?" Dean spat. "You've never questioned a crap order, huh? What are you both just a couple of hammers?"

"Look, even if you can't understand it, have faith, the plan is just," Castiel said.

"How can you even say that?" Sam asked.

"Because it comes from heaven, that makes it just," Castiel explained.

"Oh, it must be nice, to be so sure of yourselves," Dean sighed.

"Tell me something Dean, when your father gave you an order, didn't you obey?" Castiel mused.

I stepped forward about to give that Angel something just when Aiden put a restraining hand on my shoulder. I growled and glared at both angels sharply. How dare they just throw around our father's memory just to get to Dean? Dad never would've suggested murdering an entire town to save a seal, not even when he so driven to find mom's murderer that he'd kill anything and everything in the way. But, our father had taught us one thing and that was no innocent life is worth sacrificing. Certainly not one thousand of them. A town filled with woman and children who had no idea about the war on their doorstep.

"Well, sorry, boys, looks like the plans have changed," Dean smirked.

"You think you can stop us?" Uriel growled.

Dean stepped forward until he and Uriel were virtually nose-to-nose as he said, "No, but if you're gonna smite this whole town, then you're gonna have to smite us with it, because we're not leaving. See, you went to the trouble of busting me out of hell, I figure I'm worth something to the man upstairs. Even if I'm not Hails is here and she's the leader of the Trinity so I know she's important. So, you wanna waste us, go ahead, and see how he digs that."

"I will drag you out of here myself," Uriel snarled.

"Yeah, but you'll have to kill me," Dean smiled. "Then we're back to the same problem. I mean, come on, you're gonna wipe out a whole town for one little witch? Sounds to like you're compensating for something."

He turned back to look at Castiel, "We can do this, we will find that witch and we will stop the summoning."

"Castiel!" Uriel shouted. "I will not let these…"

"Enough!" Castiel retorted sharply before turning back to us. "I suggest you move quickly."

We didn't need to be told twice as we grabbed up some weapons and changed back into normal clothing before going back to the impala. Dean was about to turn the car on when Sam sighed, holding the hex bags in his hands.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Nothing," Sam muttered. "I just though they'd be different."

"Who?" Dean asked. "The angels?"

"Yeah," Sam frowned.

"Well, I tried to tell ya," Dean shrugged.

"I just...I mean, I thought they'd be righteous," Sam stated.

"They are righteous, I mean, that's the problem," Dean said. "Of course, there's nothing more dangerous than some asshole who thinks he's on a holy mission."

"But, I mean, this is God? And Heaven?" Sam whispered. "This is what I've been praying to?"

"Look, man, I know you're into the whole God thing, you know, Jesus on a tortilla and stuff like that," Dean began. "But just because there's a couple of bad apples doesn't mean the whole barrel's rotten. I mean, for all we know, God hates these jerks. Don't give up on this stuff is all I'm saying. Babe Ruth was a dick but baseball's still a beautiful game."

Sam still looked disappointed and I frowned in the direction of our room. I had thought Castiel was better than this. But, he was just like everyone else. Judging our family for what we did. Judging Sam for his rash choices.

"Well, are we gonna figure out a way to find this witch or are you just gonna sit there fingering your bone," Dean smirked.

At that Dean started the car as Sam frowned at him, "You know how much heat if would take to char a bone like this, Dean?"

"No," Dean answered.

"A lot I mean, more than a fire or some kitchen oven," Sam muttered.

"Okay, Betty Crocker, what does that mean?" Dean demanded.

"It means we make a stop," Sam replied.

The Kiln in art class. I stared at it as my brothers went through the art class. Of course, a kiln would be hot enough to char anything.

"Dean, that hex bag turned up in our room, not after we talked to Tracy," Sam began rifling through some papers on the desk.

"But, after we talked to the teacher," Dean shook his head. "Good job, Sammy."

Sam smiled and that smile quickly vanished when he looked down at the drawers of the desk. One of them was latched. I quickly handed Sam a hammer as he kneeled down and began to hit the lock until it broke free, and then he opened the drawer. He rocked back on his heels as we all saw the bowl of bones, some were charred some were not.

"My God, those are all from children," Sam hissed.

"And, I'm guessing he's not just saving them for the dog," Dean quipped.

"Let's just get this done," Aiden muttered.

Sam grabbed Don's address from the desk and we moved quickly knowing that we were getting down to the wire. We each grabbed our guns as Dean picked the lock throwing open the door. Aiden burst through with Sam on his heels as we searched room by room. Finally, I opened the basement door and we quietly snuck down the steps.

Don was reading an incantation and hanging just behind him was a rope where Tracy was tied up with a rag wrapped around her mouth, stifling her cries as she struggled to get free. We waited in the shadows as Don turned on his heel taking a chalice from the table along with a knife. He ran the tip of the knife down her neck, not drawing blood, but staring at her. Don raised the knife above his head seconds away from stabbing her when Dean and Sam and Aiden reacted each shooting Don once. Aiden and I moved over to Tracy, I took the gag out of her mouth as Aiden untied her.

"Thank you!" Tracy exclaimed. "He was gonna kill me! Ugh, that sick son of a bitch I mean, did you see what he was doing? Did you hear him? How sloppy his incantation was?"

All our attention shot up to Tracy as she smiled widely. We moved quickly attempting to pull our guns again. She shouted an incantation knocking us down to the ground as an intense pain moved over our bodies, stealing our breath away.

"My brother always was a little dim," Tracy sighed. "He was gonna make me the final sacrifice, his idea, but now, that honor goes to him. Our master's return? The spell work's a two-man job, you understand, so for six hundred years I had to deal with that pompous son of a bitch. Planning, preparing, unbearable."

Tracy kneeled down by Don, picking up the knife and the chalice, filling it with blood, "The whole time I wanted to rip his face off. And you get him with a gun, uh, love that."

Tracy turned her back on us beginning the incantation again as we all continued to writhe in pain. Suddenly Sam was moving forward and stuck his hand into the puddle of blood wiping it all over his face.

"What are you doing?" Dean asked.

"Just follow my lead," Sam insisted as he spread blood on Dean's face, then Aiden's and finally mine before crawling away from Don's body just as Tracy finished the incantation, the ground cracked and black smoke poured out of cracks. Samhain rose and we couldn't stop it. Another seal was broken. The smoke poured into Don's mouth as we watched horrified. He stood on his feet standing behind Tracy. She turned around and kissed him.

"My love," Tracy whispered.

"You've aged," Samhain replied.

"This face," Tracy sighed. "I can't fool you."

"Your beauty is beyond time," Samhain replied.

He leaned in resting their foreheads together. Suddenly he snapped her neck, dropping her to the floor.

"Whore," He hissed.

Samhain turned around and sniffed the air. I saw that his eyes were white just like Lilith's only rimed with black. We pretended to be dead, holding our breathe as Samhain walked by us, shutting the door behind him. We turned towards the door before sitting up and looking at one another.

"What the hell was that?" Dean hissed. As the door above us slammed shut.

"Halloween lore, people used to wear masks to hide from him, so I gave it a shot," Sam shrugged.

"_You gave it a_ _shot_?" Dean repeated angrily.

Sam winced and had the presence of mind to look sheepish. We all got up off the floor and got the blood of our faces. It only took five minutes to walk back to the street.

"Where the hell are we gonna find this mook?" Dean growled.

"Where would you go to raise other dark forces of the night?" Sam retorted.

"The cemetery," Dean stated.

"Yeah," Sam sighed.

As we drove to the cemetery Sam sighed and I fought back the urge to roll my eyes.

"So, this demon's pretty powerful," Sam began

"Yeah?" Dean shrugged.

"It might take more than the usual weapons," Sam sighed. He glanced at Dean unsurely as I straightened up in the back seat.

Out of that entire fight that Sam and Dean had just had, Sam had the nerve to suggest using his abilities to pull this demon.

"Sam, no, you're not using your psychic whatever," Dean retorted. "Don't even think about it, Ruby's knife is enough."

"Why?" Sam muttered.

"Well because the angels said so for one…"

"I thought you said they were a bunch of fanatics?" Sam demanded interrupting Dean.

"Well, they happen to be right about this one," Dean shrugged.

"I don't know, Dean, it doesn't seem like they're right about much," Sam muttered.

"Then forget the angels, okay?" Dean replied. "You said yourself, these powers, it's like playing with fire."

Dean moved forward picking up the knife and holding the handle out to Sam.

"Please," Dean whispered.

When we got to the cemetery and hopped out of the impala. There were a lot of places where Samhain could've gotten and this was one of the bigger cemetery's I've ever seen. But, then I remembered those kids had not stopped talking about some party where everyone was going to get so baked. I looked around and saw lights. They had cracked open one of Mausoleum and were having a rave inside.

"Those kids have the worst timing I've ever seen," Dean sighed.

We broke into an all out run when we began to hear screams over the rap music playing. We had everything that we could need. The knife to kill Samhain, silver stakes for the Zombies, salt for ghosts and other odds and ends. We ran down the flight of stairs and immediately saw a bunch of people trying to shake the gate open.

"Help them!" Sam yelled.

"Hailey, go with him," Dean ordered. At Sam's look he growled, "Dude, you're not going off alone."

"Hailey, let's go!" Sam shouted as we went running down the hallway as Aiden and Dean helped the other people.

We skidded to a stop as we noticed the hallway led to a dead end. The demon was standing in the middle of the room. We didn't bother with any pretense of subtly knowing that Samhain could sense we were there already. Almost predictably Samhain turned on his heel shooting a blazing light from his palm. Sam and I grinned at one another, sometimes it was good to be the freaks of the family. Especially when Demon's freaky death rays don't work. We continued walking forward, and Samhain seemed shocked that we were still walking towards him.

"Yeah," Sam grinned. "That demon ray gun stuff? Doesn't work on us."

With an angered shout Samhain rushed at Sam, who responded quickly with an uppercut. Sam seemed to be holding his own when Samhain shoved him against the wall, holding him in place by his neck.

"Hey, freak!" I shouted.

"Hails," Sam growled as Samhain turned towards me.

I got the knife and stabbed cut the arm that held Sam. The flesh sizzled and Samhain growled at me swiping the knife out of my hand rounding on me entirely. He punched me hard in the face before shoving me into a wall, causing my head to knock against the hard marble.

"Alright, now you pissed me off," I growled.

I managed to give him a little telekinetic shove but he was back in an instant grabbing the knife and holding it to my throat as he dangled me off the ground by my neck. I fought and kicked and attempted to use my abilities but I found they were cut off. I gasped as I was dropped to my feet and saw what had caused Samhain to drop me. Sam was standing right behind us, his hand held up. He was using his abilities to exorcise Samhain.

"Sammy, no!" I protested.

Samhain kept advancing on Sam, although, it took a lot of effort. I looked up to see Aiden and Dean careening around the corner. They stopped dead at the scene in front of them, gazing at Sam in shock. Sam was holding his other hand to his forehead as blood began to drip from his nose. Finally, almost an agonizing three minutes later Samhain was exorcised. The dead body of Don Harding slumped to the ground as the demon went back to hell. Sam stood panting in the center unable to make eye contact with any of us. I looked between Aiden and Dean and knew that we were all looking at Sam sadly, with a little fear in our eyes.

The ride back to the motel was completely silent, each one of us was lost in our own thoughts. That silence held as we each washed up and ate dinner before going back to sleep. It was one day after Halloween. One day after another seal had been broken and one day after Sam had broken his promise. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to be angry, but more than anything I was disappointed. Sam didn't speak, I knew that he was beating himself up over what had happened but that wouldn't make things better. IT had already been done.

I wanted nothing more than to put this town in the dust. We were mostly all packed up, Aiden and Dean had gone out for some air. I didn't hear whether they were going to get food for the road or to the local park so they could think. Either way Sam and I were alone. At least until I heard the fluttering of wings. If they had come here to gloat I would lose it, angels or not.

"Tomorrow," Uriel stated, announcing his arrival.

Sam jumped at his arrival and I walked out of the bathroom, my arms crossed over my chest. Tomorrow was November 2nd. That was when Azazel first paid my family a visit. That date was black listed within the family, along with June 13, we didn't talk about what happened. And whenever Dad was with us we'd avoid him on those days. Especially June 13th because that's when Mom had been murdered. I dragged Azazel back to my family. It was my fault mom was dead.

"November 2," Uriel mused. "It's an anniversary for you."

"Come to gloat, Uriel?" I asked throwing my toiletry bag into my duffel bag.

"It's the day Azazel paid a visit to your family, marked your mother for certain death," Uriel began. "It must be difficult to bear, and yet you so brazenly use the power he gave you. His profane blood pumping through your veins."

"Excuse me?" Sam growled.

"You were told not to use your abilities," Uriel stated, sharply.

"And what was I supposed to do?" Sam demanded. "That demon would've killed Hailey, and me, and my brothers, along with everyone else."

"You were told not too," Uriel repeated.

"If Samhain had gotten loose in this town…" Sam tried.

"You've been warned, twice now," Uriel hissed.

"Hey, leave him alone," I snapped.

"You know, my brother was right about you, you are dicks," Sam spat.

"The only reason you're still alive, Sam Winchester, is because you've been useful. But the moment that ceases to be true, the second you become more trouble than you're worth, one word. One, and I will turn you to dust. As for, Dean Winchester, tell him that maybe he should climb off that high horse of his, ask him what he remembers from hell. And, you, Hailey Winchester, I'd watch your attitude. It is because of us that you were even born. It is because of us you have those abilities in the first place."

Before I could offer up a stinging retort, Uriel vanished on the spot.

"I hate that guy," I growled.

"Yeah, he was just so nasty to you," Sam snarked.

"Hey, what's your problem?" I demanded.

"You're not the one he threatened to smite, Hailey," Sam spat. "You are too old to think that the world revolves around you."

"Excuse me?" I snapped.

He threatened to kill me," Sam shouted. "He told us that Dean remembers hell, which means that Dean's been dealing with those memories alone and all you can say is that _you_ hate that guy?"

"I hate that guy because he hurt you, Sam," I snapped. "I hate him because the only thing he sees when he looks at you, hears about you is demon blood."

"And you'd know what that feels like," Sam scoffed.

"I have abilities too," I retorted.

"Oh, you're little celestial abilities?" Sam mocked. "It's so hard for you isn't it. Being on the right side of things."

"Incase you've missed the past couple weeks I've had demons gunning for my ass because of these so-called abilities," I snarled. "When's the last fucking time you've been kidnapped, huh, Sam? When was the last time you were beaten to a pulp and stripped of your defenses? You blame yourself for what happened? If I hadn't been born, Mom would still be alive, you and Aiden would be in school, and Dad and Dean would be mechanics. So, fuck you very much for thinking I have things easy."

Sam and I still glaring at one another when Aiden and Dean walked in.

"What, uh, what did we miss?" Aiden asked glancing uneasily between Sam and I.

"You missed Sam being an asshole, surprise, surprise," I snapped grabbing my duffel bags and moving towards the parking lot.

"You also missed Hailey throwing a hissy fit!" Sam retorted.

"Whoa," Dean growled catching me before I could lunge at Sam, "That's enough. Let's just get out of here, shall we?"

"Sure," I muttered. "Unless Samantha wants to bitch some more."

"Hailey," Dean warned.

I rolled my eyes as I put my stuff into the trunk before sliding into the impala and slamming the door. Yup, we were right back to where we had started. I don't understand why Sam and I kept going at it. It seems like ever since Dean had died (and had since come back) that there wasn't one thing either Sam or I could say that wouldn't start a fight.

The ride back to Bobby's house was tense and uncomfortable but neither was willing to concede. Aiden and Dean kept exchanging glances. And by the time we got back to Sioux Falls I was ready to hurl myself out of the car even if it was still moving. I jumped out once Dean had barked, grabbed my stuff and stormed into the house, taking a shot of Holy Water that was shoved in my direction.

"The hunt went that bad?" Bobby asked.

"We lost another seal," I muttered.

"Shit," Bobby hissed.

I heard the front door close as Bobby doled out three more shots of Holy Water, one couldn't be too careful these days, as I walked up to my room. I tossed my duffel bag on the ground and flipped the lights on.

"You're back," Darren croaked, straightening up in the bed. "What's wrong?"

"Sam's a dick," I snapped.

"Hails," Darren sighed rubbing sleep out of his eyes, "What happened?"

"He used his abilities again," I muttered, my eyes filling tears as I leaned against the wall. "And the Angels were dicks, saying how if he outlived his usefulness they'd smite him. So, I said how I hated them and he completely lost it on me. Saying how could I know what he's going through but doesn't he see? It doesn't matter where our abilities came from we're both freaks and nothing's going to change that."

"Hails," Darren reproached hugging me too him. "He was just angry."

"We fight all the time, Darren, for no reason," I sobbed. "It's like we hate each other."

"You don't hate each other," Darren frowned. "It's just been a rough couple of months. When's the last time you got a decent night's rest, huh? Come on, you need to sleep, Hailey."

I sighed, yawning as I allowed Darren to lead me to bed. I climbed under the covers and smiled as his arms wrapped around me, pulling me to his side. I don't know how long I slept. All I know that it probably wasn't enough. We had gotten back to Bobby's around ten at night and I was up again at three in the morning. I rubbed my eyes and slid out for Darren's arms moving quickly down the hallway and the stairs. I paused briefly to put on a coat before moving into the chilly November air.

The salvage yard was one of my favorite places on Bobby's property. Before I even consciously knew what I was doing, I was climbing on of the piles of cars until I was sitting perched on the top of one. Now this was peaceful. Normally I wasn't allowed to do this. Something about how it was dangerous and those cars were rusty and if I got tetanus, Dean would kill me. But I was careful, hell, I'd been climbing things my entire life. I knew what pile of cars wasn't balanced enough, especially when some of the cars had been gutted entirely.

"I should've known that you'd be up here."

"What are you doing up at three in the morning, Aiden?" I asked.

"Makin sure my dumb ass little sister doesn't kill herself by climbing on cars that she shouldn't be climbing on," Aiden retorted.

"Says the guy who just climbed up said cars," I pointed out.

"You gonna tell me what's bothering you?"

"You wanna list?"

"Hay."

"Everything, Aiden, okay?" I whispered. "I hate that Sam's so fucking touchy about everything. How he attacked me when I was on his side when the Angels were being world-class douche bags. And you know what he says? He asks how the hell would I know about how he's feeling."

"What did the Angels say?" Aiden asked.

"That he shouldn't use his abilities," I shrugged. "That the second he outlives his usefulness. The minute he becomes more trouble than he's worth, they'll kill him."

"Angels are dicks," Aiden growled.

"I don't believe that," I whispered. "I men Pastor Jim always talked about forgiveness and how merciful God and his angels were. I don't want Pastor Jim to be wrong not after all he's done for us."

"I miss him too." Aiden sighed.

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, Hailey Jade Winchester, you get your tiny ass off those cars this instant!" Bobby growled. "And, you too, Aiden. I thought you had better sense than that."

"Bobby we're fine up here," I protested but climbed down regardless as Bobby eyed the two of us unhappily.

"Is someone going to tell me what is going on?" Bobby asked. "You all lost a seal, so what? What has you and Sam in that kind of state?"

"Hailey and Sam went at it," Aiden shrugged.

"Hailey," Bobby sighed.

"No, Bobby," I retorted. "This keeps happening, over and over again. Ever since Dean died we fight over everything. We fight, we make-up over and over and over again. I'm getting really tired of doing this with him."

I didn't have to look to know that Bobby didn't approve of the situation. I walked back into the house, glancing at the clock to see that it was nearly seven. I frowned as I walked into the kitchen grabbing the pitcher of ice tea. I poured myself a glass before putting the container back. I pulled out another bowl, pouring in some cereal, before filling it with milk. Aiden came into the kitchen a few minutes later grabbing a cup of coffee.

Soon the house was lively as Bobby resurfaced and Dean, Sam, and Darren woke up. Abby and Lucy walked in a few minutes after they did and soon the coffee pots were going and pancakes were being cooked.

"Hailey, we need to talk," Sam ordered sharply after the last of the dishes had been washed.

"I think we've said everything we need to say, Sam," I retorted.

"It wasn't an option," Sam growled.

"You're not the boss of me, Sammy," I warned.

"Hay, just talk to him," Aiden groaned.

"Fine," I huffed.

I followed Sam out of the kitchen and into the salvage yard. We walked until we were a suitable distance away from the house to avoid anyone listening to our conversation.

"Hails," Sam started. "I'm sorry for what I said back at Rock Ridge."

"Are you, Sammy?" I asked. "Because it seems to me every time we make up we're back to butting heads within hours."

"I know that things haven't been the same ever since Dean went to hell..."

"That's the thing you don't seem to realize, Sam," I interrupted. "Dean isn't in hell anymore. He's back with us and things should be okay again."  
"How can you say that?" Sam growled. "He's changed, Hailey, he's not as strong as he once was."

"Don't say that," I hissed. "Don't make excuses for yourself to sneak around with that demon bitch. I know you're still seeing her, Sam, I'm not stupid. What you're doing is dangerous."

"Lilith has to be stopped," Sam shouted.

"Yeah, Sam, she does and we'll stop her together, we don't need you to run off and play hero!" I snapped.  
"I'm doing what's best for this family," Sam spat.

"Are you?" I retorted. "Because I seem to remember that this kind of reckless need for vengeance is what got Dad killed. Are you that selfish? What do you think is going to happen if Lilith kills you?"

"She won't kill me," Sam retorted.

"Why?" I laughed. "Because she can't use her death ray? There's other ways to kill people, Sam."

"I won't let that happen," Sam stated. "I'm going to kill her first."

"Really?" I asked. "And how are you going to do that? Trust a demon to give up another one? Do you know how inane that is?"

"Stop it, Hailey," Sam ordered. "Okay, I just wanted to talk to you. We can't keep arguing like this."

"I know," I sighed.

Before I could react, Sam had closed the distance between us and pulled me into his arms. Despite our near constant arguments I couldn't help but burrow into his embrace. I missed the way things use to be before Sam died and Dean had been sent to hell. Now with the looming threat of the apocalypse there was nearly no time to spend as a family. That might seem like an odd thing to say, things were to stressful and we were taking it out on one another.

"Things will get better once we stop Lilith," Sam promised. "You'll see."

I nodded my head but despite Sam's confident tone I wasn't so sure. Wasn't that what dad always use to say to us? Once Azazel was dead we'd be able to live a normal life. It was one of the biggest lies my father had told us and that was in a long career of random lies I had been told as a child. That after Azazel we could pretend that this was one long nightmare. But there were always going to be other demons, and poltergeists, and ghosts, and ghouls, and the list goes on and on. The truth was this was the life we had been forced into and we were never getting out.

Of course, you could try to get out like Sam and Aiden did but they had come back. And even when they were living away from us they never stopped salting and putting runes in the room.

"Hey have you two killed each other yet?" Dean called from the porch. Without waiting for either Sam or I to reply Dean continued. "Because if you haven't Bobby and I would like to remind you that it is November and it's fucking freezing."

"You have such a way with words, Dean, I'm jealous," I teased as I led Sam back into the warm house.

"You should be," Dean retorted, smiling, "Not everyone can be this awesome."

Sam and I rolled our eyes as Dean laughed before sobering up, "You two deal with your issues?"

"Yup," I stated.

"Everything's cool," Sam said.

**Natasha's Point of View**

"Hey, baby," Aiden whispered.

I turned to look over my shoulder as his hands dropped down to either side of my hips as he kissed me softly. I sighed leaning back against his chest.

"What are you up to today?" Aiden asked.

"Nothing really," I sighed. "I figured that I'd make everyone dinner soon. Ellen and Jo are still out of sorts."

"They out in Bobby's trailer?" Aiden questioned.

"Yup, we're giving them their space," I answered. "Although, Dean and Jo are…"

"Okay, great," Aiden interrupted. "Let's not talk about what Dean and Jo are or are not doing."

I laughed joyfully as I kissed Aiden again forcing him to back up as I began to walk towards the door. He was smiling into the kiss as I pulled away. He grabbed my hand as we walked down stair to the kitchen.

If someone had told me that I would be Aiden Winchester's girlfriend I would've laughed in their face. Because even with my all knowing abilities I didn't see this one coming until that one night in New York City all those months ago. With Aiden's normally bright green eyes dull and glazed over with withdrawal, his nearly malnourished frame, my feelings had hit at once. He was no longer my best friend's brother but my boyfriend. Luckily he had already been through the worse of the withdrawal when I had found him, but still the normally skinny Aiden looked sick being that skinny.

I didn't know how the Winchester's stayed so healthy and fit on their kind of diet. Sam and Hailey were the only ones who normally ate something with nutritional value. But, Aiden was the one who gave some models a run for their money. I had opened the fridge, reaching for the open jar of tomato sauce when I felt things begin to pull away. The edges of reality began to blur as my stomach dropped. The tomato sauce tumbled through nerveless fingers shattering across the floor as the vision took over my senses.

_There was fire everywhere, it was dotting the blacktopped concrete. There were parts of at least two different motorcycles all over the stretch of highway with random patches of fire being ignited by oil. I couldn't see anyone else as I looked around, when I had turned around again, I saw Hailey, her hair slicked back to her face blood running down her side as she tossed her helmet off running towards one of the bikes._

"_Abby!" Hailey sobbed. "Lucy!"_

_I ran after Hailey knowing that she couldn't see me as she dropped to her knees and I fought back a wave of revulsion. Lucy was paler than I had ever seen her. Blood tinged her normally golden locks into a sickening dirty brown. She wasn't moving and the puddle of blood ringing her head in a demented halo was far from comforting. Hailey was listening for a pulse and having found none began CPR. Lucy wasn't responding, her eyes open and unseeing. Hailey was sobbing as she moved to help Abby. She tried all the same tricks but it was no use._

_Abby was in even worse shape. Her body from I could see was riddled with scratches, one of her legs was twisted at an odd angle, her eyes too were looking up at nothing as blood formed around her body._

"_Hailey!" I heard Aiden yelled._

"_They're dead!" Hailey called back standing on shaky legs. Blood coated every surface of her skin and it was nearly impossible to tell what belonged to Hailey and what didn't. "Aiden, they're gone."_

"Tasha!" Aiden shouted. "Taz! Snap out of it."

I came back to reality with a gasp, clutching Aiden's forearms in terror as Abby and Lucy's corpses rushed to the forefront of my mind. How could that have happened? They were really good at riding their bikes and I didn't think that it was possible for a person to have a motorcycle break into that many pieces from a crash.

"Natasha, what'd you see?" Aiden asked looking at me in concern.

"The end," I whimpered. "I saw the end."

"The end of what?" Aiden questioned.

"Of everything," I sobbed. "I saw the end of the trinity."

"What happened to them?" Aiden growled.

"Motorcycle crash?" I answered. "Abby and Lucy…"

"They didn't make it," Aiden interrupted. "When?"

"I don't know," I sighed.

I sat down on one of Bobby's chairs and put my head into my hands. That was the problem, I could see the future but I didn't know the when, or the why, or how. Visions could also change. They had to change, the trinity couldn't die, and if they die we might as well just give Lucifer the planet. Hailey's hair looked longer in the vision than it did right now, but that gave us a couple of months at the most. She also wasn't wearing a sweatshirt, which meant that it was probably around the summer.

"Your visions change though," Aiden whispered.

"I don't know, Aiden," I huffed. "We're in a whole new ball game now."

"Did you see how?" Aiden questioned.

"No, just the aftermath," I grimaced.

"There was fire and blood everywhere," I sighed. "I didn't see Sam or Dean. I only saw you, Hailey, and the girls."

"That can be anywhere though," Aiden protested.

"That's the problem," I grimaced.

"We can stop it," Aiden exclaimed confidently.

"_We have no choice," I thought._

_

* * *

**Author's Note: Hey, you guys. I told myself I wasn't going to do this but I haven't been getting a lot of reviews lately. I don't mean to bitch and moan but reviews really motivate me to move that much faster in writing and posting new chapters. When I don't get that many reviews I don't know if people like the turns the story have taken or anything else like that. So, if you guys would please review, it really makes my day. :-) Thank you. ~Beccatdemon13.**  
_


	46. Weight of the World

**Chapter Forty-Six: Weight of the World**

"_Once you're in this fight, you're in it to the end. Win or lose."_

**Hailey's Point of View**

I had actually had a full nights sleep. I knew this only because I woke up when I felt lips trailing down my neck before arms pulled me into a firm chest. I yawned and stretched as much as Darren allowed before he rolled us over leaving me looking up at him.

I smiled as Darren leaned in again kissing me softly before he deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping into my open mouth. I moaned as Darren's hand slid under my pajama bottoms as my legs wrapped around his hips. Before things could go further, I flipped us over again and this time started the kiss as Darren grinned. Darren's hands that had previously rested on my hips were slowly moving up before I took my night shirt off and tossed it to the floor as Darren pulled his shirt off too.

"I'm taking a shower," I announced jumping off the bed and to the ground shedding clothing on the way to pick up my towel wrapping it around my frame.

"Is that an invitation?" Darren smirked.

"It's whatever you want it to be," I replied.

Darren got up off the bed and shed his clothes following after me in nothing but a towel. I took the silence in the house to man that no one else was currently home. I didn't know where everyone would go at once but if it was something bad then our phones would be ringing off the hook.

I turned on the hot water as the door behind me shut and locked. I turned right as Darren came in behind me pulling me into him. The newly tattooed pentagram stood out on his chest as both our towels dropped to the ground. I stepped under the hot water as Darren followed suit. I shampooed my hair and made out with Darren as we scrubbed each other down. I gasped as Darren's hands slid down to my ass before lifting me up, maneuvering me so that my back was resting against the wall as he supported the rest of my weight. He kissed me softly as I felt him at my entrance. He thrust in filling me fully as I began to grind, the friction stealing both of our breaths away.

My hands rested on his shoulders as my nails scrapped down his back. He winced slightly before capturing my lips with his as our activities brought me to the brink of orgasm and over with Darren following seconds after me.

"Happy Anniversary, babe," Darren whispered his forehead leaning against my own.

Had it really been a full year since Darren and I had started going out? I smiled up at my boyfriend knowing that it had and it had been quite the year. First was Sam disappearing after being possessed, then Dean going to hell, and a handful of hospitalizations for both Darren and I. He really had turned into an amazing guy and I loved him. I knew it from the top of my head to the soles of feet. I loved Darren Whitman with every fiber of my being.

"I love you," I replied. "Happy Anniversary, Darren."

"I love you too," Darren grinned.

"Did you kick everyone out so we'd have the house to ourselves?" I asked.

"Something like that," Darren smirked.

I kissed him again and that kissed quickly progressed to another heavy make out session that left both of us panting, grinning at one another.

"You know what else?" Darren asked.

"What?" I responded.

"We're going out to dinner," Darren stated. "Just the two of us."

I smiled at that I don't think we've ever had a dinner just the two of us. If we weren't eating with other people than they were around. That was just another thing we had to deal with In our world the life of a hunter was far from a solitary life. My brothers and I were always around each other. The only time we weren't was when Aiden and Sam had gone to school or when Dean had died. Those months were some of the worst in my life. I had never not had family by my side. Now it seemed that the closeness was doing more harm than good.

After a few minutes Darren and I headed in separate directions to get dressed for dinner. I ran back into my room and took the one black dress I owned, which was a present from Jo. It was a halter top dress that skimmed my knees. On the bottom it had an inch of black taffeta fabric. The rest of the dress was silk. I pulled it on smiling at the fact that it still fit me like a glove. I had to dig a little bit to find the one pair of black stiletto peep-toe heels that I owned, another present from Jo. I grabbed my make up kit and my straightening iron before walking back into the bathroom.

When I emerged nearly ten minutes later my hair was sleek with some loose curls on the bottom. I hadn't noticed how long my hair had gotten since I wore it up a lot. When it was down it nearly to the middle of my back. So I hacked off enough to make it just under shoulder length as I made some shorter pieces frame my face so that the longest point was in the back. My lips were covered in a dark red lip gloss while my eyes looked more natural, only having enough mascara to make them stand out more than normal.

I looked and felt like a normal girl, well, as normal as a girl could feel when she had a knife holster on her thigh. I put some of my silver throwing knifes in the slots before pulling my dress back down. I loved this holster because most people wouldn't even realize I was wearing it. As I walked down the stairs I saw Darren dressed in a nice suit, which was mostly reserved for cases. I knew that he had a holster that went across his shoulders hidden under his suit jacket. And if I knew my boyfriend he was carrying his favorite gun and at least one knife. After all you never knew what could happen. I think my abduction all those weeks ago had heightened security among everyone I knew so that we were all being even more precautious then normal.

"You look beautiful, Hails," Darren smiled.

"You clean up rather nice yourself, Dare," I grinned.

He laughed before kissing me softly, offering me his arm as he escorted me out to his mustang.

**Aiden's Point of View**

"Where's your head?" Natasha asked me. Her hazel eyes boring into my own as she turned on my lap.

I took another sip of my beer before answering, "I've just been thinking."

"About?" Natasha asked.

"I just have a bad feeling," I shrugged. "That's all."

Natasha didn't say a word instead choosing to kiss me. My arms wrapped around her holding her close to my chest. This was probably the least romantic place on earth but after Darren had asked for us to leave him and Hailey alone for a few hours everyone had come here instead. Well, Bobby was over in the next town stocking up on supplies while Dean and Jo, and Sam and Marley were by the pool tables.

At first I had been wary about another guy dating my sister so soon after she lost Trevor but the Whitman's were good people, the youngest was no exception. If my sister had to be with anyone I would rather it be with someone who would protect her. And that was Darren. So, if they wanted privacy on their one year anniversary far be it for me to get in the way.

The scary thing about my family was probably how well we were at conning people. Right now Sam was pretending to be drunk as Dean and the girls stood on the sidelines looking at the pool table in concern.

"Brian, come on, man, just one more," Sam pleaded. "Just give me a chance to win it back."

"It's your cash," Brian shrugged

"Excuse me," Dean butted in. "My brother's a little sauced to be making bets."

"He insisted," Brian shrugged, barely hiding his grin.

"Yeah, but you've already taken, what, two bills off him?" Dean asked.

"Hey, shut up, Dean," Sam snapped. "I'm fine."

"Sam, Dean's right," Marley grumbled.

"Baby, I got this," Sam proclaimed before he loudly hiccupped.

"You're not fine," Dean growled. "You're drunk!"

"Le's make it five hundred!" Sam announced slamming down the money on the side of the pool table.

"Five hundred?" Dean repeated.

"Sure," Brian laughed. "Your break."

Brian set up the new game as Sam glanced at all of us, no trace of drunkenness. I watched as Dean and Marley smirked before Sam went back into the con. Just as Sam's about to break he looks across the bar, his expression darkening before he tosses the stick on the table.

"Keep the money," Sam grumbled.

"Keep the money?" Dean repeated this time truly angry. "What…?"

Dean spun around and saw that Ruby was here as well. His expression went from angry to down right terrifying. "Aiden stay with the girls."

I didn't get a chance to say anything as Dean stalked away as Sam began to talk to Ruby. I hadn't seen her since Dean had come back from the dead. And I realized how much I didn't miss her. Why couldn't she just stay away from my family?

"Aiden who is that?" Jo asked.

"Ruby," I answered.

"Ruby who?" Jo questioned.

"I don't know her last name," I shrugged.

"She's bad news," Tasha informed the other two girls.

"Taz," I groaned, warning her from saying anything else.

I watched as Dean, Sam, and Ruby talked or in Dean and Ruby's case argued. I frowned wanting to know what was going on but I didn't want Dean's ire directed at me. When Ruby left in a huff and my brothers came back over with stormy expressions on their face I figured that now wasn't the time to ask what Ruby had wanted.

"Dean?" Jo tried.

"It's nothing, Jo," Dean growled.

"I don't know who you think you're talking to in that tone of voice," Jo said tightly. "But, I'm not your sister."

"I'm sorry," Dean replied pulling the blonde into his side as he kissed her temple.

"Let me guess," Marley sighed. "That girl threw a case your way?"

"Maybe," Sam responded. "We don't know yet."

"Well, you can't leave until Darren and Hailey are done with their date," Natasha said. "That gives us plenty of time to research and pack if need be."

**Darren's Point of View**

Dinner was going better than I ever imagined. We had gotten a corner table in the back of the only nice place in town. The lighting was dim to set the mood and the music was soft but not dull. I smiled over to my girlfriend and she grinned back at me.

I've had a few girlfriends over the years through various stints in public schools but none of the relationships I had with those girls had been completely honest. They didn't know that I knew how to kill people twenty different ways, or Latin fluently. They didn't know that I could spar with the best of them and my marksmanship was pretty damn good, if I do say so myself. They most certainly didn't know why my family and I took so many "camping trips".

There was a certain freedom one was afforded when everyone involved was a hunter. There was no need to explain random weapons on your person or in every room in the house. You didn't have to worry that they wouldn't be able to defend themselves…as much. I hated it when Hailey left with her brothers. Sure, we talked the entire time we were apart but I never knew how hurt Hailey was when she said she got injured on a hunt. Hailey barely blinked at stitches or bruises. But every abrasion and bruise on her perfect milky skin made me want to lock her in a room with me and never let her out.

It was biased of me and more than a little narrow minded. As Hailey pointed out if I went out and hunted than she was able to as well. But, now on the brink of the apocalypse was not the time for any hunter to retire. Hell, hunters were beginning to come out of retirement. People like Rufus Turner, a man who had been retired for at least ten years was coming out of the woodwork to do whatever he could to help. I hoped that one day the lot of us would at least be able to settle down. Or at least as much as anyone could.

"Darren?" Hailey asked. "You all right?"

"Of course," I smiled. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm having dinner with my gorgeous girlfriend."

"Smooth talker, Whitman," Hailey teased leaning forward to squeeze my hand.

Well, I guess it was now or never. With Hailey's hand in mine I stood up nearly laughing as she looked at me quizzically.

"Darren?" Hailey questioned.

"May I have this dance, Ms. Winchester?" I asked.

"Certainly," Hailey replied.

She stood up and walked with me to the dance floor. With those stilettos of hers she was almost as tall as I was. The dance was slow as I twirled her around before we began to dance. My hands were on her hips and her were wrapped around my shoulders. When the dance was over Hailey turned to go back to the table when I grabbed her wrist. As she turned around I knelt down on one knee looking up at her as I pulled out a small jewelry box.

"Hailey, the one thing I've learned over and over again that life is short," I began. "But, sometimes you find the right person you want to share the rest of your life with. Regardless of what's going on out there I know that I can't see myself ever being away from you. Hailey Winchester, will you marry me?"

"Yes," Hailey whispered. "Of course I will."

I pulled the ring out of the box, thankful that my parents were willing to let me pass it down. It was once my great grandmothers ring and I knew that it would be perfect for Hailey. It was a white gold band with small diamonds all around it and two bigger diamonds on the front of it. I slid the ring onto her finger before standing up and gathering her into my arms as she kissed me passionately. The entire restaurant broke out into applause as I felt Hailey blush lightly.

"I love you, Hails," I whispered resting my chin on top of her head.

"I love you too, Darren," Hailey stated.

I walked her back to our table as we had dessert before going back to the car. Driving back to Bobby's felt faster than normal as Hailey and I held hands the entire way. Hailey was smiling widely. I don't really remember the last time I saw her this happy. But I was glad that I was the one who put that smile back on her face.

As we walked into the house I immediately felt how tense it was. Walking into what use to be Bobby's living room and now was his study I saw why. Everyone was reading and researching. There was a hunt, I guess. Dean looked up from his laptop and smiled at us.

"You look great, Hailey," Dean smiled.

"Thanks, Dean," Hailey replied. "Darren and I have an announcement to make."

"Oh, really?" Bobby asked.

"Yup," Hailey smirked. "Darren and I are getting married. He proposed tonight."

"Oh, my god," Lucy, Abby, and Jo squealed discarding the books and articles they were reading to hug me and start chattering about the wedding.

"Congratulations, Hails," Dean smiled hugging me.

Sam and Aiden hugged me also and clapped Darren on the back. We sat down on the sofa ready to hear exactly what was going on.

"So?" I prompted.

"We had a little guest visit us at the bar," Dean began. "Apparently Anna Milton is very important to the demons because the order is to capture her alive."

"And you found this out how?" Darren asked.

"Ruby?" I growled. "Was Ruby there?"

Darren seemed confused as he wrapped a hand around my own. The grip served two purposes: to comfort and restrain as I glared at Sam angrily. After everything we had gone through he was still seeing that demonic bitch?

"Hailey," Dean warned his eyes cutting to Marley and Jo who looked more confused than ever.

"Who is she Sam?" Marley asked.

"She's a hunter," Sam answered.

"Oh," Marley whispered.

"Anyway, sorry to cut your engagement night short, you guys, but we've gotta go," Dean ordered. "Family only."

I nodded sharply as the packing tidal wave began. Lucy and Abby seemed irritated that they were being kept out of the loop while Marley, Jo, Natasha, and Darren seemed content with the news. Darren knew the score. His family hunted with family while I only hunted with my own. Except in those four months where Dean was dead and I never wanted that to happen again. No offense to Darren or Lucy, or Abby but I had been raised to hunt with my brothers and we had a synchronicity that couldn't be replicated.

"Hey Hails," Abby called as I was packing up my duffel bags.

"Hey Abs," I grinned. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Abby shrugged. "Lucy and I were just wondering if everything was okay."

"Yeah, why wouldn't they be?" I asked.

"We just feel like we haven't been included lately in the wake of all this coupling," Abby shrugged.

"Four people is a lot of people to have on a hunt in general," I sighed.

"Yeah, well, we've come to the conclusion that if you guys won't let us hunt with you then we're going to hunt together," Abby replied.

"Oh?" I muttered. "I guess it hasn't really been all that fair to you. I'm sorry Abs. I'm sorry Luce."

"We understand," Lucy replied. "It seems like you're having a hard enough time keeping your biological family together. We don't wanna add to it."

"Keep in touch?" I smiled.

"Duh," Abby snickered. "And we better be invited to that wedding of yours."

"Of course," I grinned. "And be careful okay? You probably have angels watching out for all of us."

I hugged Abby and Lucy not knowing when I would see them again. We all went downstairs with our duffel bags. I hugged Abby and Lucy one more time as they broke the news to my brothers. It seemed as though they were okay with it. Dean only told them that they had to check-in everyday and to be careful. I kissed Darren goodbye and then hugged Marley, Jo, and Natasha ignoring my brothers separate goodbyes to their girlfriends. I was glad that they had finally found people that made them as happy as Darren made me.

Ten minutes later we were in the impala heading towards Cleveland, Ohio. Sam was on the phone with the Cleveland cops trying to get a copy of the missing persons report. She had allegedly escaped from a locked ward two days ago.

"Well, Anna Milton's definitely real," Sam sighed.

"Don't mean the case is real," Dean retorted. "And this hospital's a three-day drive."

"We've driven a lot further for less, Dean," Sam muttered as Dean shook his head. "If you have something to say, say it."

"Oh, I'm saying it," Dean snapped. "This sucks."

"You're not pissed we're going after some girl," Sam retorted. "You're pissed Ruby threw us the tip."

"Right," Dean snarled. "Cause as far as you're concerned, the hell bitch is practically family. Yeah, boy, something major must've happened when I was downstairs, cause I come back and you're BFF with a demon?"

"Guys, can we not do this?" Aiden pleaded.

"I told you, Dean, she helped me go after Lilith," Sam snapped.

"Well, thanks for the thumbnail, really vivid," Dean grumbled. "You wanna fill in a little detail?"

"Sure, Dean," Sam retorted. "Let's trade stories. You first. How was hell? Don't spare the details."

"Sam!" I reproached.

"You needed a demon to help you track down another demon?" Dean laughed. "What your brother and sister weren't enough?"

"I never said that," Sam muttered.

Aiden and I exchanged glances and I grabbed my backpack from the floor or the impala. I never use to have to use my ipod in the impala and now that ipod had become a necessity. If I turned the music up loud enough I could almost pretend that nothing had changed instead of the tense atmosphere that was boiling under the surface nearly any time we were together.

The next time I woke up we had stopped at the motel near the hospital. We all dropped off our stuff and changed into business suits. Twenty minutes later we were interviewing the psychologist assigned to Anna's case.

"Now, the orderly has no recollection of Anna's escape?" Sam asked.

"Apparently, she knocked him unconscious," The psychologist stated. "The blow caused some amnesia. He doesn't even remember coming into her room."

"That's one hell of a right hook to knock out a guy that's got eighty pounds on her" Dean mused.

"We think she may have planned this," The psychologist replied, "waited behind the door."

"Right," Sam said. "Uh, you mentioned Anna's illness was recent."

"Two months ago, she was happy, well-adjusted, journalism major, lots of friends, with a bright future ahead of her," The psychologist frowned.

"So, what happened?" Dean asked. "She just flipped?"

"Well, that's the tragedy of schizophrenia," The psychologist sighed. "Within weeks, Anna was overtaken by delusions."

"What kind of delusions?" Sam questioned.

"She thought demons were everywhere," The psychologist muttered handing a sketchbook to Sam.

"Interesting," Dean huffed.

"It's not uncommon for our patients to believe that monsters are real," The psychologist explained.

"Well, that's just batty," Dean scoffed. His voice dripping with sarcasm as he shot us all a look.

I looked over Sam's shoulders as he turned the pages of the sketchbook. My heart jumped into my throat as I saw the sketches and some text above them. She had drawn the 'Raising of the Witnesses' and 'Samhain the next seal broken.' Great we were dealing with a rogue psychic. I exchanged panicked glances with Aiden.

"That's revelations," Dean hissed.

"Since when does the book of revelations have jack-o-lanterns?" The psychologist demanded.

"It's uh," Dean scrambled. "It's a little known translations."

"Well, Anna's father was a church deacon," The psychologist shrugged. "When she became ill, her paranoia took on religious overtones. She was convinced that devil was about to rise up and end the world. I hope you find her. It's dangerous for her o be out there alone right now."

"We'll find her, Dr. Foster," I promised.

"Do you have her parents address by chance?" Aiden requested.

"Oh, of course," Dr. Foster replied.

Dr. Foster scribbled the address of Anna's presents before she handed it to Aiden. After that we quickly said goodbye to the doctor after Dean had commandeered Anna's sketch book. We walked back out to the impala and drove to Anna's house. It wasn't that far of a drive, they only lived in the next town over.

We got out of the car each of us having a weapon within easy reach as we approached the house. It seemed like the typical suburb. There were two cars in the driveway and the neighborhood seemed on the nicer side. Dean knocked on the door when there was no answer we grew suspicious.

"Maybe they're not home?" Dean suggested.

"Both cars are in the driveway," Sam contradicted.

Dean tried the door and found it unlocked. With a nod of his head we all pulled out our guns going slowly into the Milton home.

"Mr. and Mrs. Milton?" Dean called. "We're from the sheriff's department."

"We just want to ask you a couple of questions," Sam stated.

We were scanning every room when I crept into a living room When I turned around the couch I paused. Lying on the floor were two dead bodies presumably Mr. and Mrs. Milton.

"Guy, I don't think we'll be asking them anything!" I announced.

Aiden was the first one to come into the living room and as he looked at the corpses his nose wrinkled as he stepped back slightly. Dean and Sam came in moments later and frowned.

"Sulfur. The demons beat us here," Sam sighed as he crouched down besides the dead body. "Whatever the deal is with this Anna girl…"

"They want her bad," Aiden whistled.

"Yeah, they do," Dean agreed. "And they're not screwing around, either."

Dean grabbed a stack of mail and began to flip through it, "All right, so I'm _Girl, Interrupted_," Dean began. "And I know the score of the apocalypse just busted out of the nut-box…possibly using superpowers, by the way, where do I go?"

"Jeez, Dean," I scoffed.

Aiden stayed by my side as Sam walked over to a shelf full of pictures. He picked on up and frowned.

"Hey, you got those sketches from Anna's notebook?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Dean answered.

"Let me see 'em," Sam muttered.

He grabbed the pages that Dean offered him and quickly leafed through them before laying out one on the table along with the picture he couldn't stop looking at, "Check this out."

"She was drawing the window of her church," Dean mused.

"Over and over," Sam stated. "if you were religious, scared, and had demons on your ass, where would you go to feel safe?"

"Looks like we're going to church," Aiden shrugged.

Once again we got into the car and drove to the Milton's church. This seemed to be a rather driving heavy hunt. Thankfully, everything was close to each other. We parked in the back of the church and made our way into the church. We drew our guns as we searched the church. Sam and Dean started at the attic while Aiden and I started in the basement. We all agreed to meet in the middle. We heard a low whistle indicating that Sam and Dean had found her.

Aiden and I raced up the stairs just in time to hear Anna say, "And you're Dean. The Dean?"

Oh, god. The Dean? That would be going straight to his head. I pushed the door open and walked inside with Aiden at my heels. We stopped right next to Dean as I regarded Anna curiously. Her hair was a shade of red that typically wasn't found in nature If I had to guess I would believe it to be artificial but you never know. Her green eyes were wide and fearful.

"Well, yeah," Dean shrugged. "The Dean, I guess."

"It's really you," Anna gushed. "Oh, my god. The angels talk about you. You were in hell, but Castiel pulled you out, and some of them think you can help save us."

She glanced at Sam, her gaze remorseful, "And some of them don't like you at all. They talk about all of you all the time lately. I feel like I know you."

"So, you talk to angels?" Dean asked.

"Oh, no. No, no way," Anna corrected. "Um they probably don't even know I exist. I just kind of…overhear them."

"You overhear them?" Sam replied.

"Yeah, they talk, and sometimes I just," Anna trailed off before continuing, "here them in my head."

"Like right now?" Dean questioned.

"Not right this second, but a lot," Anna explained. "And I can't shut them out, there are so many of them."

So, they lock you up with a case of the crazies when really you were just tuning into Angel radio?" Dean clarified.

"Yes," Anna smiled. "Thank you."

"Anna, when did the voices start?" Sam asked. "Do you remember?"

"I can tell you exactly," Anna stated. "September 18th."

"The day I got out of hell," Dean muttered.

"First words I heard, clear as a bell," Anna told us, "Dean Winchester is saved."

"What do you think?" Dean asked Sam.

"It's above my pay grade, man," Sam shrugged.

"Well, at least now we know why demons want you so bad," Dean smiled. "They get a hold of you, they can hear everything the other side's cooking. You're 1-900 angel."

"Hey, um, do you know," Anna tried to ask before she stopped only to ask again. "Are my parents okay? I didn't go home. I was afraid."

The door to the attic opened with a slam as Ruby rushed into the room. I glared at her but she didn't return it as she looked straight at Sam. Of course, she had Sammy so fucking snowed. For someone so smart he could be such an idiot.

"You got the girl," Ruby gasped. "Good, let's go."

"Her face!" Anna howled beginning to back away.

"See, Ruby, even Girl Interrupted here thinks you're ugly," I quipped.

"It's okay," Sam soothed Anna after he smacked me upside the head. "She's here to help."

"Yeah, I wouldn't be so sure about that," Dean muttered.

"We have to hurry," Ruby growled.

"Why?" Dean retorted.

"Because a demon's coming," Ruby explained. "He's a big timer. We can fight later, Dean."

"Well, that's pretty convenient," Dean snarked. "Showing up right when we find the girl with some big wig on your tail?"

"I didn't bring him here," Ruby snarled. "You did."

"What?" Dean demanded.

"He followed you from the girl's house," Ruby snapped. "We gotta go now."

"Dean," Sam gaped.

I turned towards Sam only to see what he was staring at. The Virgin Mary's eyes were bleeding. Well, the statue's eyes were bleeding. In all my years of hunting I had never once seen anything like that.

"It's too late," I heard Ruby sigh. "He's here."

"Sam, hide Anna," Dean ordered.

Sam took Anna by her elbow and hide her in one of the closets. When he came back he was holding a flask of Holy Water looking determined.

"No, Sam, you've gotta pull him right away," Ruby commanded.

"Whoa, now wait just one minute, bitch," Dan growled.

"Now is not the time to bellyache about Sam going dark side," Ruby hissed. "Either he does his thing, he exorcises hat demon, or we die."

I was very tempted to punch Ruby in the face but there was no time as the door blew off the hinges as something stomped up the stairs. Sam stood in front of all of us with his hand held out in front of him. I knew that Sam was doing his metal exorcism but the demon didn't seem to react at all.

"That tickles," The demon laughed. He cleared his throat, his eyes going completely white. Just like Lilith's eyes. Well, this was bad. Ruby hadn't been joking.

"You don't have the juice to take me on Sam," The demon taunted before waving his hand sending Sam flying down the stairs.

"Sammy!" I shouted.

"Hailey Winchester," The demon grinned. "The leader of the Trinity. Very interesting."

I walked forward ignoring my brothers attempts at shielding me from the demon as my gaze locked on his. I twisted my hand frustrated when the demon didn't even flinch.

"Now that's just disappointing," The demon sighed before he raised his hand sending me into the air before sending me flying against the opposite wall.

I let out a gasp as my back hit the wall before sliding down. The air whooshing out of my body as I watched Dean lunge forward attacking the demon with Ruby's knife. The demon beat Dean to the punch sending the knife skittering away as he began to punch Dean over and over again.

"Come on, Dean," The demon taunted. "Don't you recognize me? Oh, I forgot. I'm wearing a pediatrician. But we were so close…in hell."

"Alastair," Dean hissed.

Aiden ran forward pushing Alastair away from Dean and into Sam who had recovered the knife. Sam grabbed Alastair by his shirt quickly swinging the knife down and into Alastair's chest. It sparked the way it normally did when the knife killed someone but other than that it had no reaction.

"You're gonna have to try a whole lot harder than that, son," Alastair reproached tossing Sam away as he tried to rip the knife out.

Sam went over to Dean and helped him up as Aiden helped me. I saw Dean and Sam look towards the window and immediately knew what they were thinking as we all sprang into action. Sam and Dean went forward jumping through the stained glass window to the ground below. Aiden and I were right on their heels as we all landed in a crouch before sprinting off to the car, flooring it away from the church and to the motel room.

We rushed into the motel room slamming the door behind us and locking it. There was no charms we had that would work with a demon like Alastair. If hallowed ground made no difference then there wasn't all that much we could do.

Aiden immediately went to help Dean. His shoulder had been dislocated and his face was a bloody mess. I corralled Sam into a seat, ignoring his offers to help with my own injuries as I threaded a needle. I doused the wound with antiseptic after I made sure there were no splinters of the wood or glass variety before I began to stitch it closed.

"Come on, Dean," Aiden huffed coaxing Dean out of the bathroom as he spat blood into the sink, "Okay, on three. One…"

I winced at the crunching pop sound as Aiden reset Dean's dislocated shoulder. The latter grunted in pain before walking back into the bathroom and cleaning the cuts on his face and rinsing his mouth again. I finished stitching up the wound once again pouring alcohol over the wound.

Aiden then quickly made sure that nothing one me was broken. I had a cut on my back along with what Aiden said was going to be a giant bruise but I was better off than my brothers were. Aiden had a pretty bad cut on his forehead.

"So, you lost the magic knife, huh?" Dean snickered.

"Yeah, saving your ass," Sam retorted. "Who the hell was that demon?"

"No one good," Dean replied.

I had a feeling that what Dean had said was a giant understatement. The faraway look in Dean' eye indicated that he knew that demon. Hell, Alastair said it himself saying how they were close in hell. Dean had been out of hell for nearly six months now and he hadn't said a word about hell. Of course, the nightmares Dean had on a near constant basis spoke volumes. We all pretended that it those incidents never happened.

"We have to find Anna," Dean proclaimed.

"Ruby's got her," Sam said. "I'm sure she's okay."

"Are you sure about Ruby?" Dean asked. "Cause I think it's just as likely she used us to find radio girl and then brought that demon in to kill us."

"No, she took Anna to keep her safe," Sam disagreed.

"Yeah, well, why hasn't she called to tell us where she is?" Dean questioned.

"Because the demon is probably watching us right now, waiting to follow us right back to Anna again," Sam stated. "That's why he let us go."

"You call this letting us go?" Dean scoffed.

"Yeah, I do," Sam shot back. "Look, killing us would've been no problem for that thing. That's why, for now we just got to lay low and wait for Ruby to contact us."

"Why do you trust her so much?" Dean demanded.

"I told you," Sam retorted.

"You gotta do better than that," Dean grumbled. "Hey, and I'm not trying to pick a fight here. I mean, I really want to understand. But I need to know more. I deserve to know more."

"This oughta be good," I muttered.

Even though we were with Sam during part of Dean's death he hadn't felt the need to inform us why he was suddenly BFF with a demon. He only pulled rank so that Aiden and I would do what he said. Which was part of the reason why I hated Ruby so much. If someone had just explained to me why she was suddenly welcomed with open arms maybe, just maybe I wouldn't butt heads with her so much.

"During the time where Aiden, Hails, and I were apart I drank a lot," Sam confessed. "I was in a constant stupor just to pass the day. I went into my motel room and was jumped by demons. One of them happened to be Ruby. She had escaped from hell, the only thing she had to do to stay on Lilith's good side was to kill me. I really thought she was going to and I didn't care. Instead she stabbed the other demon and rushed me out of the room and out of state. She went against Lilith for me. She's not like other demons."

We all just stared at Sam but he just continued seemingly relieved that there were no interruptions. "I told her that I didn't like her possessing people so she waited until the spirit that had once inhabited the body she's in now to leave before she possessed it. She promised that she could help me kill Lilith and by killing Lilith I'd avenge you if I couldn't find a way to get you back, Dean. So she taught me what she could."

"So, what'd she teach you?" Dean asked.

"Well the first thing I learned was I'm a crappy student," Sam laughed. "But, she taught me how to go past my mental blocks once that happened everything just sort of flipped after that. She was there for me. She got through to me and said exactly what you would've said and that's when I reunited with Aiden and Hailey."

Before Dean or anyone of us could comment someone began to knock on the door, "Housekeeping!"

"Not now!" Dean barked.

"Sir, I've got clean towels," the maid insisted.

Dean opened the door angrily surprised when the maid shoved by him with an armload of towels.

"Couldn't you leave 'em at the door?" Dean asked.

"I'm at this address," The maid said handing Sam a piece of paper.

"I'm sorry," Sam shook his head. "What?"

"Go now," the maid ordered. "Go through the bathroom window, don't stop, don't take your car, don't pass go. There are demons in the hallway and parking lot."

"Ruby?" Sam asked.

"Okay, yes, so I'm possessing this maid for a hot minute," Ruby muttered. "Sue me."

"What about…?" Sam tried to ask.

"Coma girl?" Ruby interrupted. "Slowly rotting on the floor back at the cabin with Anna, so I gotta hurry back. See you when you get there. Go!"

The maid went back out into the hallway and Aiden closed and locked the door behind her. We grabbed one of the weapon's duffel bags as we jumped single file out of the bathroom window. It took about an hour to get to the cabin on the edge of town. We pushed the door open after we made sure that we weren't followed.

"Glad you could make it," Ruby snarked.

"Yeah, thanks," Sam replied. "Anna, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so," Anna said. "Ruby's not like other demons. She saved my life."

"I hear she does that," Dean sighed. "I guess I…you know…"

"What?" Ruby asked.

"I guess I owe you for Sam," Dean mumbled. "And just I want to, you know?"

"Don't strain yourself," Ruby scoffed.

"Okay, then, is the moment over?" Dean asked when Ruby nodded he sighed in relief. "Good, cause that was awkward."

"Hey, Sam, you think it'd be safe to make a quick call?" Anna asked. "Just to tell my parents I'm okay? They must be completely freaked."

"Ooh," Aiden winced lowly, "Awkward."

I elbowed him in the stomach as Sam fumbled to come up with an answer.

"What happened?" Anna demanded. "Where are my parents? Are they okay?"

"No, they're not," Sam frowned. "Anna, I'm sorry."

"Why is this happening to me?" Anna moaned dropping to the floor.

Within a moment Anna went from mourning the loss of her parents to freezing her eyes widening in fear.

"They're coming," Anna whispered.

"Back room," Dean ordered. "Hailey, Aiden, go."

As we were escorting Anna to the back room I heard Ruby ask for the knife.

"Uh, about that," Dean snickered.

"You're kidding," Ruby demanded.

"Hey, don't look at me," Dean protested.

"Thanks a lot," Sam protested.

"Great," Ruby muttered. "Just peachy. Impeccable timing, guys, really."

Then the doors to the cabin blew open. Instead of demons I heard the flapping of wings. Angels. Intrigued I went back out into the main room, ignoring Dean's glare of death.

"Please tell me you're here to help," Dean pleaded as Castiel and Uriel walked in. "We've been having demon issues all day."

"Well, I can see that," Uriel growled. "You want to explain why you have that stain in the room?"

"We're here for Anna," Castiel stated.

"Here for her like…here for her?" Dean asked.

"Stop talking," Uriel barked. "Give her to us."

"Are you going to help her?" Sam questioned.

"No," Castiel sighed.

"She has to die," Uriel proclaimed.


	47. Shaking at the Knees

_**Author's Note: Hey everyone! So when I started this revival I was a little nervous about how it will go over. I began this reprisal on April 13, 2009 and now have Chapter 47 on April 13, 2010. This is one of my favorite stories that I have written. It has one of the longest chapters I've ever wrote, the most words archived and the highest reviewer count. All my readers and reviewers are amazing. I just wanted to say that I appreciate all of you and I'm so happy I managed to make an update today. It was a little touch and go I had so much to do this weekend and today but I did it. *beams*. Anyway, I've rambled enough. Happy Reading!~Beccademon13**_

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**_**Chapter Forty-Seven: Shaking at the Knees**

"_The gates of hell are open night and day; smooth the descent and easy is the way."_

There were some times that life could take you completely by surprise and this would be one of those times. My brothers and I thought that the demons wanted Anna, which was true. But, as it turns out so did the Angels, only they wanted her dead. You'd think that the Angels would want to save her from the demons turns out whoever Anna Milton was. And whatever was important about her, it looked as though either way she was going to lose.

"You want Anna?" Sam asked. "Why?"

"Get out of our way," Uriel snapped.

"Don't talk to him that way," I snarled.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Dean shouted. "Okay, I know she's wiretapping your angel chats or whatever, but it's no reason to kill her."

"Don't worry," Uriel smiled widely, "I'll kill her gently."

"You're some heartless sons of bitches, you know that?" Dean huffed.

"As a matter of fact," Castiel stated. "We are. And?"

"And?" Sam gaped. "Anna's an innocent girl."

"She's far from innocent," Castiel disagreed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam demanded.

"It means she's worse than this abomination you've been screwing," Uriel replied glancing at Ruby who had come into the room. "Now give us the girl."

Dean looked at each of us making sure we were all on the same page before he spoke, "Sorry, get yourself another one. Try J-Date."

"Who's going to stop us?" Uriel scoffed. "You four? Or this demon whore?"

Uriel moved forward grabbing Ruby by the neck and threw her into a window before he picked her up and slammed her against the wall. Uriel pinned her in place as began to move his other hand close to her face. Ruby grabbed that hand's wrist attempting to keep it away from her. Dean lunged forward punching him in the back. Uriel dropped Ruby as he rounded on Dean punching him hard in the face. I moved forward to help Dean as Castiel walked towards Aiden and Sam who were guarding the room that Anna was hiding in.

"Cas, stop," Sam reasoned as Castiel moved forward. "Please?"

Castiel didn't bother to say anything he just tapped Sam's forehead and then Aiden's causing them both to faint. I gaped at him torn between helping Dean who was getting his ass kicked by Uriel or going after Castiel who already had his hand on the door. Before I could move a blinding white light engulfed Castiel and Uriel and then they both disappeared.

"What the fuck just happened?" Dean demanded.

"I dunno," I replied as I moved to Aiden and Sam's side trying to rouse the both of them.

As I was trying to wake them up I noticed that Dean was helping Ruby up. Seriously? Was he now going to be Team Ruby too? Was I the only one who thought that she was playing the lot of us? Dean moved forward opening the door.

"Anna," Dean whispered before shouting, "Anna!"

I moved from my crouch as Aiden and Sam stirred to stand behind Dean as I tried to see what was cause for alarm. I saw Anna leaning on the dresser. Blood was in two pools. One was shallow, the other one was deeper. Dean rushed into the room maneuvering her into the chair. He grabbed up the arm that was bleeding turning it to his gaze. He pulled out a bandana wrapping her arm and pulling it tight.

"Are they gone?" Anna whispered.

"Did you kill them?" Dean asked.

"No, I sent them away," Anna replied. "Far away."

"You want to tell me how?" Dean questioned as he eyed the mirror where a sigil had been drawn on it in blood.

"That just popped in my head," Anna shrugged. "I don't how I did it. I just did it."

Well, that was comforting. How does something like that just pop into your head? Maybe she really did belong in that hospital.

"You should get some rest," Dean sighed.

He helped Anna from the chair to the bed barely sparing her a glance as he shut the door behind him. He shot Ruby a look that said get lost and she glared before wandering off. For a moment, none of us said anything. Today had been one of the weirdest days, which for a Winchester was pretty fucking scary.

"So, what do you think?" Dean asked.

"I think Anna's getting more interesting by the second," Sam answered.

"Yeah, I agree," Dean mused. "And what did hey mean by 'she's not innocent'?"

"It seems like they want her bad, and not just cause of the angel radio thing," Sam huffed. "I mean that blood spell is some serious crap, man."

"Something is going on with her," Dean muttered. "See what you guys can find out."

"What are you gonna do?" Sam questioned.

"Anna may have sent the angels to the outfield, but, sooner or later, they're gonna come back," Dean stated. "We've got to get ourselves safe now."

Aiden and Sam moved to get the laptops to try and figure out what made Anna so special. I called Darren as Dean attempted to call Bobby. After Dean and I had ended our phone calls we doubled back to where Aiden and Sam were looking at articles and hacking into databases. Within the next few hours we split up with Dean, Anna, and I going straight to Bobby's house as Sam, Aiden, and Ruby doubled back to get the impala.

One of the positives of Bobby owning a Salvage yard was that it was very easy to ditch the cars we stole. Dean ushered Anna through the house not stopping until he had placed her in Bobby's panic room.

"Hey, baby," Darren whispered as I stood awkwardly in the door.

"Hey," I smiled kissing his cheek. "This is the weirdest damn hunt I've ever been on."

"Looks like," Darren laughed. "Who's the redhead?"

"Anna Milton," I replied. "The demons want her and the Angels want to kill her."

"Sounds like fun," Darren muttered.

I heard the familiar rumble of the impala before Sam, Aiden, and Ruby walked through the door. Ruby and I avoided each other's glances as Darren glared at her.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Darren questioned.

I shook my head and he let the subject drop as Darren and I wandered down to the basement walking into the panic room. Bobby and the girls hadn't appeared yet but it was only a matter of time.

Dean was standing near the opening explaining the panic room to Anna, "Iron walls completely drenched in salt. Demon's can't even touch the joint."

"Which I find racist," Ruby snapped. "By the way."

"Write your congressman," Dean replied.

Ruby rolled her eyes before tossing hex bags to each of us, "Here."

"Hex bags?" Dean questioned.

"Extra crunchy," Ruby shrugged. "They'll hide us from angels, demons, all comers."

"Thanks Ruby," Dean replied.

Ruby looked like she had a retort in mind before Dean spoke. After he thanked her she seemed shocked along with nearly everyone else.

Dean didn't notice anyone's surprise as he talked to Anna, "Don't lose this," He said. "So, Anna, what's playing on angel radio? Anything useful?"

"It's quiet," Anna sighed. "Dead silence."

"Good," Dean scoffed. "That's not troubling at all."

"We're in trouble, huh?" Anna asked. "You guys are scared?"

"Nah," Dean shrugged.

"Dean!" Aiden shouted from the top of stairs.

"Just stay here, okay?" Dean ordered. "Come on, guys. Ruby, can you keep an eye on her."

"Yeah," Ruby responded.

**Natasha's Point of View (Two hours ago)**

It took only a couple hours to get from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Kansas City, Missouri. I knew that Hailey and her brothers would need more help with the case that had been thrown their way by Ruby. They would need more help than what I could provide. When Aiden had called last night I could clearly see how all the Winchesters were feeling, I could even feel how the demon felt about this whole thing, but I couldn't see Anna Milton. I could see anyone, anywhere, at anytime. I had never encountered someone I couldn't see. Someone's thoughts I couldn't read. If they were human, or were once human, in the case of demons I could read their thoughts, see their memories and know that person without even meeting them. The only thing I ever needed was a name.

Anna Milton should've been the easiest person to read. People with metal disorders or imperfections of the mental variety were fairly easy to know. Hailey had said that they couldn't find anything abnormal about the girl, which only further concerned me. I sighed in frustration as I arrived at my destination. I walked up the pathway and climbed up the four stairs before attempting to knock on the house's front door.

"Natasha Colson," A voice greeted as the door flew open seconds before I could knock, "I was wondering if I was ever going to meet Missouri Moseley's protégé and niece."

"Pamela Barnes," I replied.

"You need my help?" Pamela asked.

"Yes, ma'am," I responded. "There's this girl named Anna Milton. Apparently the demons want her very badly and the angels want her dead, including the one who stole your eye sight."

"Hmm," Pamela considered. "I'll help. Luckily, I have more senses than most. Still, I wish I could do something to that angel…"

"I've heard he's quite the asshole," I offered.

"I'd say," Pamela huffed as she stooped down to grab a duffel bag waiting by the front door. "I figured the Winchester's would be needing my help sooner rather than later. But, why couldn't you help them?"

"I can't see the girl," I muttered angrily. "She's the only one I've ever encountered who I couldn't read."

"Well, let's get back to Bobby's they'll all be there soon," Pamela said.

She placed a warm hand on my shoulder as I led her down the stairs and to the passenger side of my car, opening up the door and making sure she was fully situated before I closed it. I ran around to the driver's seat and floored it back towards the interstate. By the time we got back to Bobby's the impala was already parked out front. Dean was waiting out front for us and he smiled at us, giving me a greeting nod as he helped Pamela out of the car.

"We found out something new," Dean informed us. "When Anna was two and a half, she'd get hysterical any time her dad got close. She was convinced that he wasn't her real daddy and that her real father wanted to kill her. Her parents took her to a shrink and she got better and grew up normal. Until now, that is."

"Wow," I muttered and Dean smirked in agreement.

I walked in front of Dean as we walked down to Bobby's basement where they were currently keeping Anna.

"We're here!" Dean called.

"Pamela hey!" Sam greeted.

"Sam?" Pamela asked.

"It's me," Sam replied. "It's Sam."

"Sam?" Pamela questioned and I fought back a laugh knowing exactly what she was going with this.

"Yeah," Sam said.

"Sam, is that you?" Pamela responded as he hands sought his face one hand resting on his forehead.

"I'm right here," Sam stated.

"Oh," Pamela laughed. "Know how I can tell?" Before Sam could reply she slapped his ass. "That perky little as o' yours. You could bounce a nickel off that thing. Of course I know it's you, grumpy. Sam way I know that's a demon, that's Hailey and Aiden, and that poor girl's Anna. That and you've been eyeing my rack."

"I…uh…um," Sam stuttered blushing profusely as he all smirked at him.

"Don't sweat it, kiddo," Pamela scoffed "I still got more senses than most."

Sam was still at a loss for words as Dean clapped him on the shoulder. We all watched as Pamela approached Anna. "Hey, Anna. How are you? I'm Pamela."

"Hi," Anna smiled.

"Natasha and Dean told me what's going on," Pamela explained. "I'm excited to help."

"Oh, that's nice of you," Anna responded.

"Not really," Pamela grimaced. "Any chance I can dick over an angel, I'm taking it."

"Why?" Anna wondered.

"They stole something from me," Pamela muttered taking off her glasses to show her lack of eyes. "Demon-y, I know. But they're just plastic. Good for business. Makes me look extra psychic, don't you think?"

**Hailey's Point of View**

I walked behind Pamela and Anna as they walked back into the panic room. We all walked in, well, except for Ruby who couldn't. I sat down on the table sitting between Dean and Darren. Aiden was sitting on Bobby's old armchair that had once upon a time been in Bobby's living room. Sam was leaning against the door probably trying to keep Ruby comforting or something like that. Natasha and Pamela were hovering over Anna who lay on the cot with her eyes closed.

"Nice and relaxed," Pamela ordered softly, "now, I'm going to count down from five to zero. When we're at zero, you'll be in a deep state of hypnosis. As I count down, just go deeper and deeper, okay? Five…four…three…two…one. Deep sleep, deep sleep. Every muscle calm and relaxed. Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you," Anna replied.

"Now, Anna, tell me," Pamela began. "How can you hear the angels? How did you work that spell?"

"I don't know," Anna said. "I just did."

"Your father," Pamela questioned. "What's his name?"

"Rich Milton," Anna replied.

"All right," Pamela grimaced. "But I want you to look further back. When you were very young, only a couple years old."

"I don't want to," Anna growled.

"It'll be okay, Anna," Pamela soothed. "Just one look that's all we need."

"No," Anna mumbled.

"What's your dad's name?" Pamela asked. "You're real dad. Why is he angry at you?"

"No," Anna growled. "No. No. No!"

"Calm down," Pamela soothed.

Anna had begun to thrash back and forth as she shook her head.

"NO!" Anna howled. "He's going to kill me!"

Her body arched forward as she continued to scream 'No' and talking about how her father was going to kill her. I could see why her parents were concerned. It was frightening enough seeing an adult react like this, I couldn't imagine a two year old. Suddenly the door to the panic room slammed and locked as the lights blew up sending sparks flying.

"He's going to kill me!" Anna cried.

"Anna, it's okay," Pamela called above her shouting. "It's all right. You're safe."

"No!" Anna sobbed.

"Anna!" Dean yelled trying to reach for her.

"Dean, don't!" Natasha and Pamela warned.

But it was too late for Dean to stop he had already touched her arm, making Anna lash out with surprising force. As the force was enough to knock Dean halfway across the room.

"Wake in one, two, three, four, five," Pamela stated as her hands hovered over Anna's thrashing body. "Anna…Anna? Are you all right?"

"Thank you, Pamela," Anna stated calmly. "That helps a lot. I remember now."

"Remember what?" Sam asked.

"Who I am," Anna answered.

"I'll bite," Dean responded. "Who are you?"

"I'm an Angel," Anna proclaimed.

At that statement we all backed up looking at Anna suspiciously. Our relationship with Angels was hardly a pleasant one. And being in the presence of one who forgot that they were in fact an Angel did little to comfort me.

"How the hell do you forget you're an angel?" Aiden demanded.

"It's called tact, genius," Dean reprimanded.

"Oh, come on, Dean," Aiden protested. "We've been through the ringer for this chick. Only for her to suddenly remember she was angel? I find that a little hard to believe."

"Aiden," Sam reproached. "Let's just hear her out, alright? We have demons and angels on our ass and we can use all the help we can get."

Aiden and I exchanged glances before we both shrugged. Sam opened the door to the panic room where Ruby had been anxiously pacing. She stopped and stared at us before she stepped back to allow us to all get out of the room. We walked out of the stairs and to the living room. Where we all turned to stare at Anna, waiting for an explanation.

"Don't be afraid," Anna said. "I'm not like the others."

"I don't find that very reassuring," Ruby muttered. She no doubt had been brought up to speed by Sam as she glared at the newfound angel with obvious contempt. It seemed demon's 'good' and bad didn't exactly like the angels.

"Neither do I," Pamela stated.

"So, Castiel and Uriel, they're the ones that came for me?" Anna asked.

"You know them?" Sam responded.

"We were kind of in the same foxhole," Anna explained.

"So, what, they're like your bosses or something?" Dean questioned.

"Try the other way around," Anna smirked.

"Look at you," Dean smiled.

"But now they want to kill you?" Pamela clarified.

"Orders are orders," Anna shrugged. "I'm sure I have death sentence on my head."

"Why?" Pamela snapped.

"I disobeyed, which for us, is about the worst thing you can do," Anna mumbled. "I fell."

"Meaning?" Dean asked.

"She fell to earth," Pamela explained. "She became human."

"Wait a minute, I don't understand," Sam stated. "So, Angels can just become human?"

"It kind of hurts," Anna muttered. "Try cutting your kidney out with a butter knife. I ripped out my grace."

"Come again?" Dean gaped.

"My grace," Anna repeated before explaining, "It's energy. I hacked it out and fell. My mother, Amy, couldn't get pregnant. She always called me her little miracle. She had no idea how right she was."

"So, you just forgot that you were God's little power ranger?" Dean scoffed.

"The older I got, the longer I was human, yeah?" Anna replied.

"I don't think you all appreciate how completely screwed we are," Ruby snarled.

"Who told the demon she could talk?" Aiden mumbled.

"Ruby's right," Anna said. "Heaven wants me dead."

"And hell just wants her," Ruby snapped. "A flesh-and-blood angel that you can question, torture, that bleeds. Sister, you're the Stanley cup and sooner or later, heaven or hell, they're gonna find you."

"I know," Anna rolled her eyes at Ruby, "that's why I'm gonna get it back."

"What?" Aiden queried.

"My grace," Anna sighed.

"You can do that?" Dean shook his head.

"If I can find it," Anna countered.

"So, what, you're just gonna take some divine bong hit, and shazam, you're Roma Downey?" Dean snarked.

"Something like that," Anna mused.

"All right," Dean nodded. "I like this plan. So, where's this grace o' yours?"

"I lost track," Anna shrugged. "I was falling about 10,000 miles per hour at the time."

"Wait, you mean falling, like literally?" Sam jumped up and moving closer to where all the laptops were clustered at Anna's nod of affirmation he continued. "Like the way a human eye can see? Like a comet maybe a meteor?"

"Why do you ask?" Anna inquired.

Sam didn't respond as he wandered out of the room to look for something known only to him. Anna looked confused while Ruby sulked in the corner of the room. Pamela had left with Dean and Natasha has her escorts. I understood why Pamela was apprehensive to be around Angels again after Castiel had burned her eyes out. Aiden was helping Sam with whatever Sam had realized. I guess they were trying to trace comets or meteors and maybe hone in on where Anna's grace could be. Darren and I wandered into the kitchen to get something to eat.

When we had finished eating I walked back out the living room and saw that books and old magazines now surrounded Sam. I leaned against threshold noticing that Ruby was still here. God help Sammy if Bobby came home, he'd kill Ruby and then Sam.

"Here," Sam said pointing out an article as Ruby walked over to him. "In March 1985, a meteorite vanished in the night sky over northwestern Ohio. It was sighted nine months before Anna was born, and she was born in that part of Ohio."

"You're pretty buff for a nerd," Ruby snickered.

"Look," Sam glared. "I think it was Anna and here, at the same time there was another meteor over Kentucky."

"And that's her grace?" Ruby asked.

"It might be," Sam shrugged.

"All right," Ruby snarked. "That just narrows it down to an entire state."

"Look, it's a start," Sam snapped.

"Sam," Ruby responded. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Sam questioned.

"For bringing you this mess," Ruby stated. "If I had known, I would've kept my trap shut."

"Yeah, well, we'll muddle through it," Sam muttered.

"Not this time," Ruby disagreed. "You do not want to get between these two armies. It's Godzilla and Mothra. If one side doesn't get us, the other one will."

"So, what do you want to do?" Sam scoffed. "Dump Anna and run? Forget it."

"Aw, is the little demon afraid of the big, bad Angels?" I mocked.

"Forget the Angels," Ruby said glaring at me. "It's Alastair who I'm afraid of."

"Alastair?" Sam repeated in confusion.

"You met him in the church," Ruby explained. "He's practically the grand inquisitor downstairs. Picasso with a razor."

"And?" Sam sneered.

"And you should pull him out and throw him back in the pit," Ruby spat. "If you weren't so out of shape…"

"Ruby," Sam growled.

"No, you're abilities you're getting flabby," Ruby said.

"You know how," Ruby retorted. "You know what you got to do."

"You don't have to do anything," Aiden said from behind me moving past me and into the study to glare down at Sam.

"Well, then you all better pray that Anna gets her groove back or you're all dead," Ruby hissed.

"Who gives a fuck what you think?" I demanded. "Why Sam even puts up with your haughty superior bullshit is beyond me. Give me one reason why I shouldn't exorcise you here and now."

"Hails," Sam warned.

"Hay!" Aiden shouted as I turned on my heel and walked out of the house closing the door behind me.

I walked out into the salvage yard without looking back. I climbed onto the roof of Bobby's barn and looked out into the town of Sioux Falls and the rest of Bobby's property. I watched as Bobby's old broken tow truck bustled through the main entrance before pulling to a stop. The older man didn't glance in my direction as he hopped out of the truck and moved quickly into the house. I could see the impala in the distance with turning up dust as it drove through the other side of the property.

I smirked as I watched Ruby sneaking out of the house and into the barn. Halfway to the barn waved my arm, sending Ruby soaring into the side of the barn. I jumped off the roof, landing gently back on the ground. I think that was my favorite thing about my telekinesis, it had only encouraged my ability to climb things, reducing the risk of injury or at least most of the time.

"You're testing my patience, little Winchester," Ruby snarled rising unsteadily to her feet.

"I'm terrified," I scoffed.

"Hailey!" Aiden shouted from the back door. "Sam has something!"

I ran back to Bobby's house, brushing past Aiden and joining the others assembled in Bobby's study.

"Union, Kentucky," Sam grinned. "I found some accounts of a local miracle."

"Yeah?" Dean prodded.

"Yeah," Sam smirked. "In 1985, there was an empty field outside of town. Six months later, there was a full-grown oak. They say it looks a century old at least."

"Anna, what do you think?" Dean asked.

"The grace, where it hit, it could've done something like that easily," Anna said.

"So, grace ground zero isn't destruction," Dean whispered.

"It's pure creation," Anna nodded.

"Then it looks like we're going to Kentucky," Dean said. "Let's get the lead out. Darren, you mind coming along?"

"You kidding?" Darren scoffed. "Hell no."

"Then you're driving the back up," Dean said. "Aiden and Hails will ride with you."

"Alright," I shrugged.

"Then let's go," Dean said. "Keep the hex bags on you and cell phones charged up."

"We know, Dean." Aiden said..

We said goodbye to Bobby and Natasha as we moved towards the car. Ruby and Anna got into the backseat of the impala with Sam and Dean in their normal spots. I climbed into the passenger sea of the mustang as Aiden climbed into the back and Darren started the car following quickly behind the impala.

It was at least a night's drive to Kentucky with little to no stops. It was obvious that Dean was anxious and Anna seemed concerned. When we finally got to Union we were all exhausted and most likely more than a little annoyed. Just like Sam had said right in the middle of an of a field was a tree that looked incredibly old. The light was shining down on the tree just so. The atmosphere around it just felt serene.

"It's beautiful," Dean gasped as we assembled near the tree.

"It's where the grace touched down," Anna stated. "I can feel it."

"You ready to do this?" Dean asked.

"Not really," Anna confessed.

"Anna, what are we even looking for?" Sam asked as we began to spread out looking for what I didn't exactly know. A little less than a year ago we didn't even know Angels existed or that they could fall to earth.

"It doesn't matter," Anna frowned. "It's not here. Not anymore someone took it."

"Someone took your grace?" Darren questioned.

"How can that even happen?" Aiden muttered.

"We drove here for nothing," Ruby snapped.

"Why don't you shut up?" I growled.

"Guys," Sam growled. "Stop it. Arguing isn't going to help us find who took Anna's grace."

"What are we even supposed to do?" Aiden demanded. "We were counting on Anna being able to hulk out."

"We find a place to bunker down," Dean said. "We shouldn't be out in the open like this. We find the first abandoned place we can and lay down charms and anything we can to protect ourselves."

We all exchanged perplexing glances, all of us knowing without saying a word a truly screwed to hell we were. I felt for Anna, really, I did, but if she got any family members of mine killed I'd beat Castiel and Uriel to the punch and kill her myself. Although, she can get Ruby killed, that would be perfect.

Aiden, Darren, and I walked back to the mustang and one again began to follow after the impala. We lost sight of them for a little while because the world would be doomed if Dean actually drove within the speed limit once in a while. A text from Sam said they had found an abandoned stable five minutes outside of Union.

We found the place that Sam had told us about easily enough. Darren parked next to the impala out of sight and we quickly set up Devil's traps and salt circles.

Once all that was done we walked back into the stables and shut the doors behind us. It was fairly chilly and I dreaded how all of this would turn out. I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach as I spun my favorite gun around in circles.

After another hour or two Dean broke the silence, "We still have the hex bags. I say we head back to Bobby's and we can all go into the panic room."

"What?" Ruby laughed dryly. "Forever?"

"I'm just thinking out loud!" Dean snapped.

"Oh, you call that thinking?" Ruby scoffed.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas," I muttered under my breath, knowing full well that Ruby could hear me as she turned on her heel and glared murderously at me.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey," Sam cajoled. "Stop it, you guys."

"Anna's grace is gone," Ruby snarled rounding on Sam, "you understand? She can't angel up and we're royally fucked. She can't protect us and we can't fight heaven and hell! One side maybe. But not both, they'll slaughter us."

"Or just you," I shrugged. "If that's the case I'd take this as a win-win."

"Hailey," Sam warned lowly.

I held my hands out, stopping Sam in his tracks as I rolled my eyes. Yeah, I got it. Ruby is a good demon. She comes in peace, blah, blah, blah. All I know is I don't trust her. Sure, she saved Sam's life once or twice but that doesn't mean she doesn't have motives of her own. She's a demon, manipulative is in the job description. Which, Ruby, herself had said once.

Still, Sammy was a smart kid. After all he had gotten into Stanford full-ride, maybe something had happened that I don't know about to make him trust her so much. The way Sam acts she might as well be in the family. And now Dean's being more tolerate of her and Aiden, doesn't give a shit. If she's evil, we kill her. If she isn't and is helpful, why jinx anything. But, something still didn't sit right with me. One of the first things Dad had taught me was to trust my instincts and I wasn't going to stop now.

"Uh, guys?" Anna called from where she sat by the window. "The angels are talking again."

"What are they saying?" Sam asked.

"It's weird," Anna winced tilting her head as if to hear them better. "Like a recording...a loop. It says, 'Dean Winchester gives us Anna by midnight, or...'"

"Or what?" Dean demanded.

"Or we hurl him back to damnation," Anna intoned.

"Wow, the angels aren't fucking around this time," Aiden whistled.

"Anna," Sam said slowly. "Do you know of any weapon that works on an angel?"

"To what?" Ann asked. "To kill them."

At Sam's nod Anna sighed, "Nothing we can get to. Not right now."

"Okay, wait, wait," Dean stated. "I say we call Bobby."

"Dean, what's he gonna tell us that we don't already know?" Sam asked.

"I don't know," Dean confessed. "But we have to think of something."

"You're not going back to hell, Dean," I growled firmly.

**Dean's Point of View**

I looked at Hailey and smiled at her determination but we had already seen what the angels were capable of. If they would kill off an entire town without batting an eye, they wouldn't even hesitate to throw me back downstairs.

_"Or we hurl him back to damnation," Anna intoned._

What Anna had said shook my to my very core and the way she looked at me, I knew instantly that she knew everything. She knew what happened in hell. What I did. Who I became. I shudder of revulsion ripped through me as I mumbled something about getting books out of the impala.

Research was at least offering somewhat of a distraction but what the hell could kill an angel? I shook my head as I turned the page of the book that Bobby had lent me when this whole fiasco started.

At the light tread of footsteps I looked up, watching as Anna approached me cautiously.

"Hey," I called. "Holding up okay?"

"Trying to," Anna said managing a weak smile.

"Yeah," I mused.

"I'm a little scared, I guess," Anna muttered. "So, I, uh, I wanted to thank you, Dean."

"For what?" I asked.

"Everything," Anna answered. "You guys, you didn't have to help me."

"That's kinda the 'thanks for trying' speech," I smirked. "Participation trophies suck ass."

"I don't know," Anna shrugged. "Maybe I don't deserve to be saved."

"Don't talk like that," I scolded.

"I disobeyed," Anna groaned. "Lucifer disobeyed. It's our murder one, and I knew it. Maybe I have to pay."

"Yeah, well, we've all done things we have to pay for," I proclaimed.

"I've gotta tell you something," Anna whispered. "You're not gonna like it."

"Okay," I huffed. "What?"

"About a week ago, I heard the angels talking about you," Anna began. What you did in hell, Dean, I know. It wasn't your fault. You should forgive yourself."

"Anna, I don't w-want to, uh, I don't want to..." I stuttered. "I can't talk about it."

"It's okay," Anna replied. "I know but when you can you have people that want to help you. Your brothers and sister, Jo, and everyone else love you Dean. You're not alone. That's all I'm trying to say."

"Thanks," I said a few moments later.

Anna smiled at me again before wandering back towards the stable where the others were. I stayed back and mulled over what Anna had said. It had been six months and Sam, Aiden, and Hails weren't stupid. They knew something horrible had happened but they were willing to step back and give me my space until I was ready to say something

_"Look at that," Uriel taunted. "It's so cute when monkey's wear clothes."_

_"I'm dreaming, aren't I?" I rolled my eyes._

_"It's the only way we could chat," Uriel shrugged. "Since you're hiding like cowards."_

_"Don't normally see you off your leash," I smirked. "Where's your boss?"_

_"Castiel?" Uriel smiled. "Oh, he's, uh. He's not here. See, he has this weakness. He likes you. But, you're time is up, boy. We want the girl, now."_

_"Wouldn't try that if I were you," I lied erecting an air of nonchalance, "See, she's got her grace back. Full-blown angel now."_

_"That would be a neat trick," Uriel laughed. "Considering I have her grace right here." He pulled out a necklace that glowed in the dark. "We can't let hell get her hooks into her."_

_"Then why don't you just give her back her angel juice?" I suggested._

_"She committed a serious crime," Uriel stated._

_"What?" I asked. "Thinking for herself?"_

_"This is our business, not yours." Uriel barked. "She's not even human. Not technically."_

_"Yeah, well I guess I like being a pain in the ass," I grinned._

_"Give us the girl, Dean," Uriel ordered. "This is your last chance."_

_"Or what?" I challenged. "What, you're going to toss me back in the hole? You're bluffing."_

_"Try me," Uriel growled. "This is a whole lot bigger than the plans we got for you, Dean. You can be replaced."_

_"Then what the hell?" I demanded, holding my arms out. "Go ahead and do it."_

_"You're just crazy enough to go," Uriel shook his head._

_"What can I say?" I grumbled. "I don't break easy."_

_"Oh, yes," Uriel disagreed. "You do. You just have to know where to apply the right pressure. Tell me, how do you think Hailey would sound on Alastair's rack? Or your little drugged out brother. Aiden is it? He's already weak how long would it take for him to crack."_

"_Shut up," I growled._

"_Aw, what's wrong, Dean?" Uriel goaded and then continued as if I hadn't spoken. "And then there's Sam. The little abomination, I could always kill him. Or kill Anna. Take your pick, Dean Winchester."_

**Hailey's Point of View**

There wasn't a lot we could do. Since giving Anna to the angels wasn't an option I was at a loss. Dean had gone out back with Anna following almost right after him. I settled into the corner of the barn, trying to conserve my energy for whatever happened next.

The stale smell of hay was masked as Darren came over to putting his legs on either side of my body as I rested my head on his thigh. His fingers ran through my hair and somehow we nodded off.

When I woke up, Darren was still asleep, holding me in his arms. I noticed that everyone was accounted for, except for Ruby. My expression hardened as I rose to my feet.

The sun was beginning to rise as I walked across the barn and poked Sam hard in the shoulder, startling him awake.

"What?" Sam gasped. "Hails. What is it? You okay?"

"Where's Ruby?" I questioned.

Sam's brow furrowed in confusion as he looked around the barn before he shrugged turning to look at Dean who was drinking out of a flask across the barn.

"Dude, where's Ruby?" Sam asked.

"Hey, she's your hell buddy," Dean yawned.

"Little early for the drinking, don't you think?" Anna questioned.

"It's 2:00 am somewhere," Dean answered.

"You okay?" Anna whispered.

"Of course," Dean shrugged.

There wasn't time for Anna or anyone else to question Dean further as the wind picked up causing all of us to rise to our feet. I looked at Dean curiously, he never usually drinks right smack in the middle of a hunt. That was one of Dad's rules that he still followed and enforced.

With another gust of wind, the doors blasted open chunks of wood splintering off at the velocity of the blast as Uriel and Castiel walked in.

"Hello, Anna," Castiel proclaimed. "It's good to see you."

"How?" Sam gaped. "How did you find us?"

I looked between the angels and Anna and then I noticed that Uriel was beaming at Dean.

"Dean?" Sam hissed. realizing the same thing I did.

"I'm sorry," Dean told Anna.

"Why?" Sam questioned. "Dean..."

"Because they gave him a choice," Anna interrupted. "They either kill me or they kill you and torture Aiden and Hailey. I know how their minds work."

Anna turned to Dean once again and kissed him gently on the cheek, "You did the best you could. I forgive you."

Anna walked forward facing Castiel and Uriel head on. "Okay, no more tricks. No more running. I'm ready."

"I'm sorry," Castiel sighed.

"No, you're not," Anna corrected. "Not really. You don't know the feeling."

"Still, we have history," Castiel whispered. "It's just..."

"Orders are orders," Anna interrupted. "I know. Just make it quick."

Uriel took a step forward as the back doors to the stable burst open. I turned on my heel to see the demon from the church with two other demons flanking him. They were holding Ruby in their arms. Her midsection was bloody and she looked like she was in serious pain.

"Don't you touch a hair on that poor girl's head," Alastair warned.

"How dare you come in this room?" Uriel boomed. "You pulsing sore."

"Name calling," Alastair shook his head. "That hurt my feelings. You sanctimonious, fanatical prick."

"Turn around and walk away," Castiel ordered.

"Sure," Alastair agreed. "Just give us the girl. We'll make sure she gets punished good and proper."

"You know who we are and what we'll do," Castiel sneered. "I won't say it again. Leave now, or we lay you to waste."

"I think I'll take my chances," Alastair grinned.

Aiden grabbed me by the back of the shirt pulling me out of the way as the angels and demons closed in on each other. We snuck around to the same side of the barn, staying out of the way. Uriel's eyes began to glow as he exorcised both of the demons Alastair had been with while Castiel dealt with Alastair. Castiel's hand was on Alastair's forehead but nothing was happening.

"Sorry, kiddo," Alastair taunted moving out of Castiel's hold and grabbing him around the throat. "Why don't you go run to daddy?"

Potestas inferna, me confirma," Alastair chanted as Castiel's eyes began to glow. "Potestas inferna, me confirma. Potestas inferma, me confirma!"

Dean reacted quickly grabbing a crowbar from the nearby hay bale and hitting Alastair with it. Before Dean hit him it seemed like Alastair was going to exorcise Castiel or something along those lines.

Alastair let Castiel go as he clutched his forehead, "Dean, Dean, Dean," Alastair scolded. "I am so disappointed. You had such promise."

Dean froze for a second, his look stricken. In that one instant of hesitation, Alastair lunged forward raising his hand and sending Dean, Sam, Aiden, and I to our knees clutching our throat. It felt as if we were being strangled as we gasped and struggled to be breath. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Anna sprang across the barn using Uriel's distraction with the other demon to grab a necklace from Uriel's throat. It was glowing in her hand.

"No!" Uriel howled.

"Shut your eyes!" Anna yelled as she hurled the necklace to the ground breaking it instantly. "Shut your eyes! Shut your eyes!"

We did as she said as a bright light flooded the darkly lit barn as it glowed out from Anna's body. Uriel had stolen her grace and she had gotten it back. Alastair moved toward Anna and both disappeared in a burst of light. The knife that we had lost clattered to the ground. Castiel and Uriel look stunned while I was just tired.

"Well, what are you guys waiting for?" Dean scoffed. "Go get Anna. Unless, of course, you're scared."

"This isn't over," Uriel hissed.

"Oh, it looks over to me, junkless," Dean smiled.

I wasn't surprised that both Castiel and Uriel disappeared leaving Ruby, Sam, Aiden, Dean, Darren, and I. I watched as Sam walked over to Ruby and helped her up.

"You okay?" Sam asked.

"Not so much," Ruby replied.

"What took you so long?" Dean asked.

My head swiveled between Dean and Sam. They had planned this? And they didn't let us in on it. Nice, guys.

"Sorry, I'm late with the demon delivery," Ruby snarked. "I was only being tortured."

"I gotta hand it to you, Sammy," Dean laughed. "Bringing them all together all at once, angels and demons. It was a damn good plan."

"Would've been nice if you clued Hailey and I in," Aiden shook his head.

Sam shrugged in apology before saying, "Yeah, well, when you've got Godzilla and Mothra on your ass, best to get out of their way and let them fight."

"Now you're just bragging," Dean smirked.

"So, I guess she's some big time angel now, huh?" Sam mused. "She must be happy, wherever she is.

"I doubt it," Dean frowned before saying, "We should get outta here."

My brothers walked around packing up as Ruby disappeared just like the angels had. Darren and I stood side by side.

"I'll meet you back at Bobby's?" Darren asked.

"You don't mind if I ride back with them?" I replied.

"Of course not," Darren said kissing me softly. "Be careful, baby."

"You too," I said hugging him before kissing his cheek.

Darren left and I helped my brothers by packing up the rest of the charms and stowed it in the apartment. When we were all ready we drove back into town where Dean picked up a bunch of beer and some ice storing it in the cooler he kept around for just this reason. He drove back out of town before finding a fairly abandoned road. We all got out and Sam put the cooler in the backseat, handing Aiden, Dean, and I a beer.

"I can't believe we made it out of there," Dean muttered.

"Again," Sam said.

I felt the atmosphere become tense as I looked at Dean's profile. "I know you all heard him."

"Who?" Sam asked.

"Alastair," Dean replied. "What he said…about how I had promise."

"I heard him," Sam confessed as Aiden and I nodded along.

"I heard him," Sam said.

"You're not curious?" Dean questioned.

"Dean, I'm damn curious," Sam disagreed. "But, you're not talking about hell, and I'm not pushing."

Dean turned away from us leaning against the passenger side of the impala. Sam was on the hood, Aiden was next to Dean, while I sat on the roof. We waited for a few moments before Dean took a shaky breathe and said, "It wasn't four months, you know."

"What?" Sam asked.

"It was four months up here, but down there," Dean shuddered. "I don't know. Time's different. It was more like forty years."

"Oh my god," Sam whispered.

"Jesus," Aiden hissed as I slid off the roof.

Forty years of torture it was unthinkable. And I couldn't think of a more undeserving person for it to happen to.

"They, uh…" Dean murmured. "They sliced and carved and tore at me in ways that you couldn't even imagine. Until there was nothing left and then, suddenly I'd be whole again. Like _magic_. Just so they could start in all over again. And Alastair…at the end of every day…every one, he would come over and make me an offer. To take me off the rack if I put souls on, if I started the torturing. And every day, I told him to stick it where the sun don't shines. For thirty years, I told him but the I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't. And I got off that rack. God help me I got right off it, and then I started ripping them apart. I lost count of how many souls. The…the things I did to them."

By the end of Dean's story his voice was breaking and his eyes were welling with tears and damn it if I wasn't about to cry as well. It sounded so horrible. Was that what he was dreaming about nearly every night? Oh, my god. But, I didn't know what to say, luckily Sammy was here.

"Dean," Sam whispered. "Dean, look you held out for thirty years. That's longer than anyone would've."

"How I feel," Dean cried. "This…inside me. I wish I couldn't feel anything, Sammy, I wish I couldn't feel a damn thing. I'm no better than the things we hunt."

"Dean," Aiden protested.

"You were in hell, Dean," Sam stated. "I swear to you, no one I know would last longer than you."

"I enjoyed it," Dean whispered.

"What?" Sam asked.

"I enjoyed it, Sam," Dean whimpered. "They took me off the rack, and I tortured souls, and I liked it. All those years all that pain. Finally getting to deal some of that yourself? I didn't care who they put in front of me. Because that pain I felt, it just slipped away. No matter how many people I save, I can't change that. I can't fill this hole. Not ever."

Watching Dean crumble in front of us scared me and broke my heart. The person who had always been strong for all of us. Had singlehandedly kept this family together. He knew what to do when we were sick, when we were being bullied, or didn't understand our homework and now he needed help. Aiden and Sam were standing on either side of him not really sure how to go on from Dean's confession.

"I love you, Dean," I said. Softly closing the distance between him and I; hugging him close.

He stiffened in my arms before loosened up hugging me back, crying into my shoulder. I felt Aiden and Sam move closer to Dean and I. In the middle of a Kentucky back road the Winchester family had once again been cut at the knees. Hell had torn down the one person whose only crime was loving his family too much. All I knew was the next time I saw Alastair, if he was still alive, he wouldn't be going back to hell. He was going to die for what he did to Dean, torturing him for forty years. He was smart. Dean could only take so much torture himself but to really break him down would be to hurt other people, regardless of whether he knew them or not.


	48. Ruled By Secrecy

**Chapter Forty Eight: Ruled By Secrecy**

"_If you have someone's love, that's all the proof you need that you deserve it, no matter how much you worry you don't."_

"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name' sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: For thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever."

Standing in between my brothers' dressed in our Sunday best, I could think of some many things I had rather be doing. Or that we should be doing. Every day seals were breaking, every day Lucifer was closer to rising, every fucking day the strings that kept my family together was severing. Watching as a coffin was lowered into the ground, the list of people I had lost was getting bigger and bigger. It was enough to make me want to scream.

Pamela was another one to join the ranks of the deceased. She had died trying to save on of the seals, the seal in question hadn't been broken but Pamela had lost her life. I attempted to swallow the lump in the back of my throat as my eyes brimmed with tears. Aiden, Sam, and Dean's shoulders were tensed, their eyes roaming the cemetery. Proving that you could take a person from the hunt but you can't take away the hunter. The instincts were so ingrained that none of us could relax anymore. There was too much at stake.

Next to Aiden was Natasha who had been crying steadily through the entire funeral. Pamela and Missouri had taught her everything she knew. Losing Pamela was like losing Pastor Jim. Or at least it was for Natasha. As the service began to wrap up, Aiden slung his arm over her shoulders, pulling her into his side.

After the service was over, I placed a rose on Pamela's casket before climbing into the impala. Sam, Dean, and I were going back to our motel room while Aiden drove Natasha back to where she was staying.

"Ah, home crappy home," Dean mumbled as he walked through the darkened room. Sam flipped on the lights as I shut the door.

I felt the presence of something other than the three of us, seconds before he started talking, "Winchester, Winchester, and Winchester."

"Oh, come on," Dean groaned.

Uriel and Castiel stood in the middle of our room, looking as chipper as ever.

"You are needed," Uriel stated eyeing Dean sternly.

"Needed?" Dean growled. "We just got back from _needed_."

"Mind your tone with me," Uriel cautioned.

"No, you mind your damn tone with us!"

"We just got back from Pamela's funeral," Sam explained, placing a restraining hand on Dean's chest.

"Pamela, yeah you know, psychic Pamela?" Dean growled, shoving Sam's hand off of him. You remember her. Cas, you remember her. You burned her eyes out. Remember that? Good times. Yeah, then she died saving one of your precious seals. So maybe you can stop pushing us around like chess pieces for _five_ _fucking_ _minutes!_"

"We raised you out of hell for our purposes," Uriel growled.

"Yeah, what were those again?" Dean sneered. "What exactly did you want from me?"

"Start with gratitude," Uriel snapped.

"Oh," Dean growled sarcastically.

"Dean, we know this is difficult to understand," Castiel began.

"And we," Uriel interrupted giving Castiel a look. "Don't care. Now, seven angels have been murdered, all of them from our garrison. The last one was killed tonight."

"Demons?" I asked.

"How are they doing it?" Dean asked when Uriel nodded.

"We don't know," Uriel sighed.

"I'm sorry, but what do you want us to do about it?" Sam questioned. I mean, a demon with the juice to ice angels has to be out of our league, right?"

"We can handle the demons, thank you very much," Uriel glared.

"Once we find out whoever it is," Castiel replied.

"So you need our help hunting a demon?" Dean demanded.

"Not quite," Castiel corrected. "We have Alastair."

"Great, he'll be able to name your trigger man," Dean stated.

"But he won't talk," Castiel huffed. "Alastair's will is very strong We've arrived at an impasse."

"Yeah, well, he's like a black belt in torture. I mean, you guys are out of your league," Dean scoffed.

"That's why we've come to his student," Uriel smirked. "You happen to be the most qualified interrogator we've got."

I looked over to see Dean look down. I knew that hell was still, and probably always would be a sore spot for Dean. What he had been forced to do in hell, torturing all those people. I glared at Uriel angry that he had flung something like that back in Dean's face.

"Dean you're our best hope," Castiel cajoled.

"No," Dean hissed. "Now way. You can't ask me to do this, Cas. Not this."

I felt Sam stiffen the same time I did as Uriel walked over to Dean standing nearly chest to chest.

"Who said anything about asking?" Uriel retorted.

Before anyone could respond the fluttering of wings were heard. When the noise had stopped Dean and the angels were gone, leaving Sam and I behind.

"Damn it!" Sam yelled.

"This is fuckin' terrific," I mumbled.

"Where the hell could they have taken him?" Sam hissed.

"How am I supposed to know?" I retorted.

"Call Aiden," Sam ordered. "We're going to find him."

"And what are you going to do?" I asked.

"Hailey," Sam growled. "For once would you do what I tell you to?"

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes. "Call your little demon slut."

"Don't start with that shit," Sam retorted as I walked out of the room dialing Aiden's number as I moved out of the door.

**Dean's Point of View**

It was an abandoned warehouse, where I wasn't exactly sure. What I was sure of was the fact that I was far from the hotel room I had been sharing with my siblings. Alastair stood in the middle of the next room, chained to a hexacle, standing in the middle of a Devil's trap. It was exactly how I'd imagined him every day for forty years.

"This Devil's trap I old Enochian," Castiel explained from behind me. "He's bound completely.

"Fascinating," I replied coolly, turning away from the door.

"Where are you going?" Castiel demanded.

"Hitching back to Cheyenne," I retorted. "Thank you very much."

I walked past Uriel, who promptly blocked my path.

"Angels are dying, boy," Uriel growled.

"Everybody's dying these days," I snapped. "And, hey, I get it. You're all-powerful. You can make me do whatever you want. But, you can't make me do this."

"This is too much to ask, I know," Castiel replied. "But we have to ask it."

"I want to talk to Cas alone," I announced looking between Castiel and Uriel.

"Really?" Uriel scoffed.

"If you want a snowball's chance of me going in there, then you're going to shag ass and let us talk," I explained.

"I think I'll go and seek revelation," Uriel finally said. "We might have further order."

"Well, get some donuts while you're out," I grinned.

"Ah, this one just won't quit, will he?" Uriel shook his head. "Heaven help us, I think I'm starting to like you, boy."

Without waiting for anyone to laugh or speak further, Uriel vanished on the spot. I found it disconcerting that I was beginning to get use to people randomly vanishing.

"You guys don't walk enough," I muttered. "You're gonna get flabby." When Castiel didn't react I continued. "You know, I'm starting to think dickless has a better sense of humor than you do."

"Uriel's the funniest angel in the garrison," Castiel retorted. "Ask anyone."

I rolled my eyes walking up to Castiel, "What's goin on, Cas? Since when does Uriel put a leash on you?"

"My superiors have begun to question my sympathies," Castiel stated.

"Your sympathies?" I repeated.

"I was getting too close to the humans in my charge," Castiel explained. "You. Your brothers, Hailey. They feel I've begun to express emotions. The doorways to doubt. This can impair my judgment."

"So they knock you down the ladder and put Uriel in charge?" I sneered.

"He is a proud and able instrument of God," Castiel growled.

"The demotion doesn't get your loincloth in a twist?" I demanded.

"It is what it is to be," Castiel nodded.

"Well, tell Uriel, or whoever…you do not want me doing this, trust me."

I turned back around, looking at Alastair from the door. A part of me, a larger part than I really wanted to identify with wanted this opportunity. The chance to teach the teacher. Torture the torturer. To get the revenge I sought. The part of me that was aware of what was going on was horrified. Wanted to pretend that what happened in hell was nothing but a awful nightmare.

"Want it, no," Castiel murmured. "But, I have been told we need it."

"Cas the things that I did," I whispered. "What I became…you ask me to open that door and walk through it, you will not like what walks back out."

It was tempting the devil, throwing a vicious, rabid dog a bone, taunting a addict with their drug of choice. If I did this, there was no going back. The person I was in hell would join to the person I was on earth and who knew which one was more powerful.

"You know what we're all fighting for," Castiel stated. "And dying for. What Pamela lost her life for. You know what will happen if we fail. For what it's worth, I would give anything not to have you do this."

"I'll need a few things," I finally said.

Within the hour Castiel had gotten everything I requested and placed it on a cart. I covered it with a sheet before rolling it into the room. I steadfastly ignored Alastair whose stare was burning a hole in the side of my head.

"Heaven, I'm in heaven, and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak, and I seem to find the happiness I seek, when we're out together dancing cheek to cheek…" Alastair chortled, swaying in his chains, grinning from ear to ear.

I removed the seat tossing it onto the floor as I peeled off my leather jacket, stowing it under all the tool. I poured some holy water into the goblet and made sure that the salt was ready to go. When Alastair began to laugh a shiver raced up my spine, I fought not to react but it was damn near impossible.

"I'm sorry," Alastair snickered. "This is a very serious, very emotional situation for you. I shouldn't laugh, it's just that- I mean, are they serious? They sent _you_ to torture _me_?

"You got one chance," I hissed. "_One_. Tell me who's killing the angels. I want a name."

"You think I'll see all your scary toys and spill my guts?" Alastair sneered.

"Oh, you'll spill your guess, one way or another," I scoffed. "I just didn't wanna ruin my shoes."

There was hatred in Alastair's eyes as he glared at me.

"Now answer the question," I ordered.

"Or what?" Alastair taunted. "You'll work me over? But then, maybe you don't want to. Maybe you're, ah, scared to?"

Suddenly it felt like I was the one who was tied down to the hexacle, only in my mind's eye it was that surgical table. Where I was the one whose thoughts and feelings and insides were all out in the open. With a jolt I slammed back to the present glowering at Alastair, angry that he could still make me feel like that.

"I'm here, aren't I? I growled.

"Not entirely," Alastair disagreed, smugly. "You left part of yourself back in the Pit. Let's see if we can get the two of you back together again, shall we?"

"You're going to be disappointed," I vowed. Promising myself to the two parts of me wouldn't unite, not ever.

"You haven't disappointed me so far," Alastair smirked. "Come on. You gotta want a little payback for everything I did to you. All the pokes and prods, hmm?"

I didn't react as I readied my tools knowing that as much as I tried not to, I was going to enjoy this.

"No?" Alastair questioned. "Well, then, how about all the things I did to your daddy?"

**Hailey's Point of View**

It took about an hour to find Aiden and drag him back to the motel room. Along the way I explained that the Angels had shown up and taken Dean to God knew where. By the time Aiden and I walked into the room, Ruby was there. Had just gotten there by the looks of things.

"I can still smell them," Ruby complained. "Seriously, Sam, I'm not exactly dying to tangle with the Angels again."

"I need you to find out where they took Dean," Sam stated sharply.

"Not sure I see the problem," Ruby shrugged. "You know they have Alastair strung up six ways from Sunday. Dean cuts himself a slice, Al's reduced to a quivering heap, and the good guys get the goods. What's wrong with that?"

"He can't do it," Sam shook his head.

"Look, I get it," Ruby sighed. "You don't want him going all torture master again."

"Shut up, bitch," I snarled. "Why don't _you_ do what you're _master_ says?"

"No," Sam shook his head, sending me a reprimanding look. "I mean, he can't do it. He can't get the job done. Something happened to him downstairs, Ruby. He's not what he used to be. He's not strong enough."

"Sam, that's not true," Aiden growled.

"And, what, Sam?" Ruby demanded. "You are?"

"I will be," Sam vowed.

"I can't believe you're even suggesting that Sam!" I barked. "Haven't you listened to anything any one of us had said. What you're doing isn't good. It's not natural."

"And what?" Sam retorted. "You are, Hailey? You can move stuff without touching it. So, are you really going to preach on what is or isn't natural?"

"At least I'm not drinking blood," I snapped.

"Guys!" Aiden complained. "Both of you shut up. This isn't helping Dean."

In the time that Sam and I were arguing Ruby had spread a map out on the table. I don't know where she had gotten a thick black candle, but one was clutched in her hand. She chanted in Latin, holding the candle to the corner of the map. As the entire thing ignited, her eyes went black.

"Relax," Ruby laughed. As we all eyed the fire warily. "The fire is our friend. Besides, the only part of the map we need is the 'where's Dean?' part. Out."

The fire went out, the map charred to unreadabiliy. Only a small circle in the middle was left unscathed.

"There," Ruby pointed at the mall. "Your brother's there. It's a good thing the angels aren't concerned about hiding their dirty business. Not used to being spied on. I mean, who'd be stupid enough to try?'

Sam stared at Ruby and I knew what he was thinking. I sneered, disgusted as I grabbed my sweatshirt and cell phone before walking out of the motel room.

**Dean's Point of View**

"I had your pop on my rack for close to a century," Alastair grinned.

"You can't stall forever," I responded.

"John Winchester," Alastair continued as if I hadn't spoken, relish in his voice. "Made a good name for himself. A hundred years, after each session, I'd make him the same offer I made you. I'd put down my blade if he picked one up."

"Just give me the demon's name, Alastair," I growled.

"But he said 'nein' each and every time. Oh, damned if I couldn't break him," Alastair shook his head. "Pulled out all the stops, but John, he was, well, he was made of something unique. The stuff of heroes. And then came Dean. Dean Winchester. I thought I was up against it again."

I shook my head taking a swig of vodka, looking over t he array of weapons I had at my disposal.

"But, Daddy's little girl, he broke," Alastair snickered, his voice worming through any and all defenses I ever had. "He broke in thirty. Oh, just not the man your daddy wanted you to be, huh, Dean?"

I picked up a needle and began to fill it will holy water. I could only imagine what this would do for demons if Holy water hurt just by them touching it.

"Now we're getting somewhere," Alastair whooped before sneering. "Holy water? Come on, Grasshopper, you're gonna have to get creative to impress me."

The smirk that adorned my face at that was sinister in nature. I had creativity to spare. After forty years of being tortured, I had nothing to think about, other than how I'd torture the demons if the roles were reversed.

"You know something, Alastair?" I asked, reveling in the fact that it was my turn to smirk. "I could still dream, even in hell And over and over and over, you know what I dreamt? I dreamt of this moment."

I smiled widely at the sudden flicker of nervousness that crossed Alastair's face.

"And believe me," I whispered. "I got a few ideas."

I pushed the plunger of the needle down a little so that there was no air in the chamber as I walked over to Alastair and cracked my neck, "Let's get started."

I slammed the needle into his arm and immediately pushed the plunger down. Alastair began screaming instantly, his shouts awakening a part of me that had felt dead for months. I felt more alive in that very second then all the months that I had been topside.

"Let me know if you want some more," I hissed, setting the needle back on the table as Alastair shivered and groaned in pain. "There's plenty left."

"Go directly to hell," Alastair snapped, breathing labored. "Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars."

I held up Ruby's knife, smirking as Alastair glared at me.

"There's that little pig-sticker," Alastair shook his head. "I wondered where it went."

Ignoring Alastair I ladled some holy water pouring it over the blade before dunking it in sand.

"Do you really think this is gonna fix you?" Alastair sneered. "Give you closure? That's sad. That's really, really sad."

I approached Alastair, slow and purposefully as I stopped within centimeters of the man. I eyed him, knowing that my eyes were just as filled with hatred as Alastair's were. Staring at the demon responsible for making me this way, breaking me, and torturing my father. It was becoming harder and harder to deny that I didn't want to do this. With a shift movement I plunged the knife into Alastair's stomach, knowing that by doing that I was kill the person Alastair had body-jacked.

"I carved you into a new animal, Dean," Alastair gasped. His voice was filled with pain but his face was filled with pride. "There's no going back."

"Maybe you're right," I shrugged pushing the knife deeper. "But now it's my turn to carve."

**Aiden's Point of View**

All four of us in that motel room knew exactly what Sam was planning to do. That was why I pulled Hailey out of the room. The last thing we needed were Sam and Hailey's arguments to become physical once again.

"I can't fucking believe him," Hailey groused, taking an angry bite of her burger. "It's disgusting!"

"Hailey," I sighed, putting my own burger down.

The way she was slouching in her chair, arms crossed in front of her, with that petulant look on her face brought me right back to our childhood. If dad was still around and caught her acting like this she would be in for one hell of an afternoon.

"No, Aiden," Hailey retorted. "When you were on drugs, do you remember how critical Sam was of you?"

"He was disappointed," I corrected. "Just like I'm disappointed he's doing this. But, he's only doing what he thinks is right."

"Right?" Hailey repeated. "How is sucking a demon's blood right? He knows what he's doing is wrong, he just doesn't care."

"Then why do you?" I asked.

"Because I'm not going to let him turn into some monster," Hailey mumbled. "You know that thing in there isn't our brother, Aiden. I never use to fight with Sam like this."

"I remember you and Sam having plenty of fights, Hay," I disagreed.

"It wasn't like this," Hailey whispered, looking younger than I had seen her in years. "I think I might hate him." Her sapphire eyes bored into mine as they filled with tear her voice become high pitched and squeaky. "I think I hate him, Aiden."

"Hay," I sighed.

"I don't," She shook her head, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I just don't know anymore."

"Things are going to turn around, Hailey," I whispered, moving from my chair to hug my little sister to my chest. I heard her sniffle as she leaned back into me. "You just have to have faith."

"Faith in what, exactly?" Hailey scoffed. "God? Family? Friends? There's an apocalypse looming over our heads there is no hope."

A much as I wanted to argue with her, I knew that I couldn't. Seals were falling faster and faster and it seemed like we were only putting off the inevitable by preventing as many seals as we could. But there were hundreds available and there was no way that we could keep that up forever.

**Dean's Point of View**

"You're just not getting deep enough," Alastair chided. "Well, you lack the resources. Reality is just, I don't know, too concrete up here. Honestly, Dean…"

I ignored him as I poured salt into another container. No matter how much I ignored Alastair, or how much pain I knew he had to be in he wouldn't stop talking.

"You have no idea how bad it really was, and what you really did for us," Alastair whispered.

"Shut up," I barked.

"The whole bloody thing, Dean. The reason Lilith wanted you there in the first place," Alastair said as though I hadn't spoken.

"Well, I guess I'll just make you shut up, then," I growled grabbing Alastair's chin.

"Lilith really…" Alastair continued.

He didn't complete his sentence as I poured salt into Alastair's mouth. He tried to scream as his skin began to smoke. He thrashed back and forth in the chains, glaring at me furiously. But, nothing I did would get him to stop talking. I watched while he hacked and coughed and tried to breathe.

"Something's caught in my throat," Alastair gasped. "I think it's my throat."

"Well, strap in, 'cause I'm just starting to have fun," I smirked.

"You know, it was supposed to be your father," Alastair explained. "He was supposed to bring it on. But, in the end, it was you."

"Bring on what?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Oh, every night, the same offer, remember? Same as your father."

I didn't react as I dipped Ruby's knife in the Holy Water before sprinkling salt on it.

"And finally you said, "Sign me up." Oh, the first time you picked up my razor, the first time you sliced into that weeping bitch…That was the first seal."

"You're lying," I growled as I turned around to face him.

Alastair stared at me, suddenly devoid of pain as he intoned, And it is written that the first seal shall be broken when a righteous man sheds blood in hell. As he breaks, so shall it break."

Oh, my god. What have I done? I spun on my heel, fighting back the urge to vomit.

"We had to break the first seal before any others," Alastair explained. "Only way to get the dominoes to fall, right? Topple the one at the front of the line."

I dropped the knife back on the table, placing my hands on either side as the overwhelming sense of guilt began to overwhelm me.

"When we win, when we bring the apocalypse and burn this earth down, we'll owe it all to you, Dean Winchester," Alastair stated. "Believe me, son, I wouldn't lie about this. It's kind of a religious sort of thing with me."

I had started all of this. It was my fault that record numbers of hunters were dying. My fault that we were scrambling to save something that was doomed to happen. I had started all of this just because I couldn't withstand torture.

"No, I don't think you are lying," I finally said. "Bu even if the demons do win…" I stared at Ruby's knife. "You won't be there to see it."

Turning around I saw Alastair, out of his chains standing centimeters away from me.

"You should talk to your plumber about the pipes," Alastair scolded before punching me in the face.

I fell to the ground wincing in pain. I couldn't even recover before Alastair yanked me off the ground, punching me repeatedly in the face. He dropped me back to the ground before he lifted me up by the throat, shoving me up against the hexacle, my feet off the ground.

"You got a lot to learn, boy," Alastair chided. "So I'll see you back in class, bright and early, Monday morning."

"Dean!" Hailey shouted.

Looking over my shoulder I saw both Hailey and Aiden running into the ground. Without pausing in her movements, Hailey lifted her palm sending Alastair flying into the opposite wall, allowing me to slip into unconsciousness.

**Hailey's Point of View**

I ran as fast as I could into the warehouse, every internal alarm I had warning me that something had happened. When Aiden and I arrived in the room we saw Alastair holding Dean off the ground. Without even thinking I lifted my palm sending Alastair flying away from Dean. The way that Dean slumped bonelessly to the ground made me worried as Sam walked in. Aiden and I walked over to Dean trying to wake him up.

"Stupid pet tricks," Alastair spat, glaring daggers at Sam.

"Who's murdering the Angels?" Sam demanded. "How are they doing it?"

"You think I'm gonna tell you?" Alastair laughed.

"Yeah, I do," Sam grinned twisting his hand.

Alastair's eyes flooded to white as he gasped and choked.

"How are the demons killing the angels?" Sam shouted.

"I don't know!" Alastair gasped.

"Right," Sam scoffed increasing the pressure on Alastair's throat.

"It's not us," Alastair wheezed. "We're not doing it."

"I don't believe you," Sam retorted.

"Lilith is not behind this," Alastair shook his head. "She wouldn't kill seven angels. She'd kill a hundred, a thousand."

Sam stopped and Alastair slumped forward. "Oh, go ahead," He growled. "Send me back, if you can."

"I'm stronger than that now," Sam hissed. "Now I can kill."

"Sam!" I gasped.

Before my very eyes I watched as Sam held his hand aloft, staring horrified as gold light flared inside Alastair as he screamed. Alastair's host collapsed dead before he hit the ground.


	49. When the Levees Break

**Chapter Forty-Nine: When the Levees Break**

"_One mistake is sometimes all you get."_

Ever since Aiden and I had been allowed to hunt, it wasn't often that we were sidelined. Sure, there were random injuries or big-brother protectiveness that sometimes kept us benched. But, with the apocalypse hanging over our head, sitting out was a luxury no one could afford. The doomsday clock was ticking, heading quickly towards zero hour.

The waiting for the ball to drop was the worst part. It was agonizing and it was even worse that we had been dropped off at Bobby's house before both Dean and Sam had taken off. We weren't even told what the two were doing only that it was a two-man job. A few years ago it wouldn't be all that weird but our family relationships were fraying at the edges. Dad had drilled it into our head that we had to trust the person with us because they literally held our lives in their hands. With the way we were at each other's throats that just wasn't possible.

"Hay, stop pacing!" Aiden grumbled. "You're stressing me out."

"Sorry," I mumbled. "Do you have any idea what the hunt was about?"

"Dean said that there's something wrong with Cas," Aiden shrugged. "He said it didn't seem that bad so he thought we'd be better off here."

"What reading up on the apocalypse?" I chuckled, humorlessly. "All the research in the world isn't gonna help us."

"Optimism, Hay, that's all I'm saying," Aiden shrugged.

He was reading something that Bobby had given him and just like everything else he was had just settled in. Sometimes he was a little to go with the flow. Granted that ease was a little strained these days but he had yet to lose it on Sam like the rest of us had.

"Hails, can you get the phone?" Bobby asked. "It's probably those brothers of yours."

"Got it, Bobby," I sighed moving towards the ringing phone in the kitchen.

"Singer's Salvage, how may I help you?" I greeted cordially.

"Hailey, put Bobby on the phone, right now," Dean ordered.

"Why?" I asked. "What happened?"

"Hailey, now" Dean barked.

I rolled my eyes frustrated at the fact that I'd probably be fifty and still get bossed around. With a grumbled expletive I walked the phone back into the living room/study and handed it to Bobby.

I dropped down onto the couch, attempting to follow the conversation. Although, it was really quiet from Bobby's end. The only thing he said were a few curse words and then ordered them to come back here and that he'd have the panic room ready. With a sigh the older man hung up the phone before looking at Aiden and I sadly, "Sam drank demon blood. Drained the demon dry, actually."

I shook my head and grabbed the phone, putting it back on the hook. Sam had promised us that he had stopped, had sworn up and down that he was done with Ruby's bullshit plan. Promised that he didn't need his abilities to defeat Lilith, that we would do it together, as a family, just like always. Everything was just so messed up. It took nearly four hours for Dean and Sam to come back home.

"About time you two showed up," Bobby groused. "Now come on, I got something to show ya."

We all followed after Bobby who led the way down to the panic room. Bobby opened the door and gestured for us to go inside, although, Sam was the only one who went inside.

"Alright, so, ah, what's the big demon problem?" Sam asked.

"You are," Bobby replied before he shut the Iron door and spun the lock. Sam stepped up to the door looking through the small barred rectangle window of the door. "This is or your own good, son." Sam banged on the door, rage in his eyes, and hurt. I flinched when those same eyes found me. I steeled my resolve as Bobby shut the little window too.

"Guys?" Sam shouted. "Hey, come on, guys. This isn't funny! Guys! Hey! Guys!"

"Go back upstairs," Dean asked. "I want to talk to Sam."

"…Dean-" Aiden started.

"Go," Dean commanded sharply.

Seeing no other option Bobby, Aiden, and I walked up the stairs. Unlike Bobby Aiden and I exchanged glances before I nodded. He shut the door behind him as I perched myself on the top stair.

"Okay," Sam growled. Let me out. This isn't funny."

"Damn straight," Dean agreed.

"Dean, come on," Sam cajoled. "This is crazy."

"No," Dean responded. "Not until you dry out."

"Look, I'm sorry," Sam sighed. "I shouldn't have lied to you or the others. Just open the door."

"You don't have to apologize," Dean snapped. "It's not your fault. It's not your fault that you lied to me over and over again. I get it now. You couldn't help it."

"I'm not some goddamn junkie!" Sam snarled.

"Really?" Dean scoffed. "So, I guess we've all imagined how strung out you've been lately. How irritable you are? How quick you are to snap at people?"

"You're actually trying to twist this into some kind of ridiculous drug intervention?" Sam scoffed, incredulously.

"If it smells like a duck," Dean replied.

"Dean, I'm not drinking the demon blood for kicks," Sam snarled. "I'm getting strong enough to kill Lilith."

"Strong?" Dean growled.

Up on the stairs I was seething. Sam hadn't changed at all. In fact that wasn't my brother in that panic room. Sam had changed into a completely different person when Dean had gone to hell. He was soulless, ruthless, and selfish. He thought that killing Lilith only fell on his shoulders. He refused to utilize our help, like we were all suddenly strangers. It killed me.

"Yeah," Sam shrugged. Sounding annoyed that he was repeating himself.

"This is about as far from strong as you can get," Dean sneered. "Try weak. Try desperate. Pathetic!"

"Killing Lilith is what matters. Or are you so busy being self-righteous you forgot about her?" Sam retorted.

"Oh, Lilith's gonna die," Dean vowed. "Bobby, Aiden, Hailey and I will make sure of that. But not with you."

"You can't be serious," Sam gasped.

"Congrats, Sammy," Dean said coolly, "You just bought yourself a benchwarmer seat to the apocalypse."

"Dean look," Sam tried. "No, wait!"

"Come back here," Sam ordered. "Dean! Let me out of her! Dean, let me out! Dean!"

Sam was screaming at the top of his voice, throwing himself against the solid iron door. If I actually cared to be subtle I would've run back into the living room instead I stayed where I was. As Dean rounded the corner he shook his head.

"Why am I not surprised?" Dean scoffed. "What part of go upstairs did you not understand?"

"I understood perfectly," I responded. "I'm up stairs."

"Hailey Jade," Dean warned. "I'm not in the mood."

I didn't comment instead I spun on my heel and opened the door moving through the threshold and into the living room. We all tried to pretend like we were doing something productive. Instead we were all trying our hardest to ignore Sam's shouting. He pleaded and begged and insulted us. He tried whatever he could think of to get us to go downstairs but we never took the bait.

"Stop!" Sam howled. "Stop!"

"How long is this gonna go on?" Dean groaned, looking to Bobby for an answer.

"Here, let me look it up in my demon-detox manual," Bobby quipped. "Oh, wait, no one ever wrote one. No telling how long it'll take. Hell, or if Sam will even live through it."

That should've cut the quick. If it had been last year or even a couple months ago any threat against one Winchester caused the rest to get on the offensive immediately. Not this time, we barely even flinched. I knew that Aiden was beginning to feel the same way I did. That we had lost our brother a long time ago. The phone began to ring, breaking the awkward silence. Bobby sighed and answered, "Hello? Suck dirt and die, Rufus. You call me again, I'll kill you."

"Well, that was friendly, Bobby," I scoffed when the aforementioned furiously hung up the phone. Last I checked he and Rufus were friends.

"What's up with Rufus?" Dean asked.

"He knows," Bobby answered in a huff.

The phone rang interrupting any questions we might have had.

"I'm busy, you son of a bitch," Bobby snarled. "This better be important."

The angry look on Bobby's face vanished as he listened to whatever Rufus was saying. Just what we needed even more bad news. Bobby asked a few questions before he hung up the phone and looked at each of us seriously.

"What is it?" Aiden asked taking the bait.

"The news," Bobby shook his head bringing up an article on his laptop. "The news ain't good."

"This is what Rufus called about?" Dean asked. "Key West sees ten species go extinct?"

"Yep," Bobby nodded shutting the computer down. "Plus Alaska. Fifteen-man fishing crew all stricken blind, cause unknown. New York, teacher goes postal, locks the door kills exactly sixty-six kids. All this in a single day. I haven't looked it up yet. But, there's no doubt about it. They're all seals. And they're breaking fast."

"How many are left?" Dean winced.

"Who knows?" Bobby returned. "Can't be many. Where the hell are your angel buddies?"

"You tell me," Dean groaned at Bobby's glare he asked, "What?"

"The apocalypse is night and all…is now really the best time to be having this little domestic drama of ours?" Bobby asked seriously.

"What do you mean?" Dean questioned dangerously.

"well, I don't like this any more than you do," Bobby began. "But Sam can kill demons. He's got a shot at stopping Armageddon."

"You've got to be kidding?" I hissed.

"So what?" Dean groused. "Sacrifice Sam's life, his soul for the greater good? Is that what you're saying? Times are bad, so let's use Sam as a nuclear warhead?"

"What soul?" I mumbled.

"Hailey, shut up," Dean snapped.

"Or what?" I demanded. "You actually think that's Sam down there? Sam died the day you went to hell Dean. That was it."

If I hadn't been so angry I would've seen the warning signs before it happened. Instead I lashed out and was shocked when Dean fought back. The force of the slap sent me stumbling back a few inches and the pain tingled sharply across my face.

"Don't say that," Dean stated evenly. "Sam is still our brother and he isn't going to be sacrificed for anything.

"Look, I know you hate me for suggesting it," Bobby said turning Dean's attention away from me. "I hate me for suggesting it. I love that boy like a son. All I'm saying is maybe he's here right now instead of on the battlefield because we love him too much."

"Hailey, where are you going?" Aiden asked as I left the living room.

"I'm going to do what Dad would've done in this situation," I mumbled.

"And what's that?" Aiden questioned.

"Drink until I can't remember my own name," I responded.

"You're twenty," Aiden pointed out.

"It's the End of Days, Aiden," I retorted turning around. "I really don't care what is or isn't illegal anymore."

"Hailey, you need to be on top of your game right now," Aiden scolded. "We're down a hunter."

"I don't care anymore," I mumbled. "I just don't care."

I squeaked in surprise when Aiden lunged forward grabbing a bicep in each hand before he slammed me hard against the wall. He was angry, glaring down at me with a mixture of anger and pity. I fought against his hold onto to get slammed back against the wall.

"Stop it," Aiden ordered. "Just stop it, okay?"

"Stop what?" I said.

"Stop talking like that!" Aiden shouted. "You sound like you just want to give up."

"What's the point?" I demanded. "Huh? You think we can actually stop this?"

"I don't know," Aiden shrugged. "But I'm not just going to stand there and watch it happen. Grow the hell up, Hailey Jade. You want to fix things then do something about it."

"Fine," I sighed. "Let me go, Aiden."

"What are you going to do?" He asked suspiciously.

"Go upstairs and think about how things got this bad," I muttered.

I was starting to think Bobby was right. I didn't hate Sam, I loved him too much. No matter what he did he'd always be my brother, even if I couldn't recognize him anymore. Even though I wanted to give up, I know that I didn't have that option. In order for most of the population to live in peace a few of us would never have that luxury.

**Dean's Point of View**

"Where are you, you son of a bitch?" I screamed, staring into the night sky.

I was in the middle of the salvage yard, far enough away from the main house that I didn't have to worry about being disturbed. It was more of an extra precaution, though, we were all lost in our own thoughts that Aiden, Hailey, or Bobby wouldn't bother me. I spun around in a circle and flinched when I saw Castiel standing there studying me curiously.

"Well, it's about time," I snarled. "I've been screaming myself hoarse out here for almost two and a half hours now."

"What do you want?" Castiel asked.

"You want to start with what the hell happened a few weeks ago?" I demanded.

"What do you mean?" Castiel blinked.

"Cut the crap," I ordered. "You were going to tell me something."

"Nothing of importance," Castiel shrugged.

"You go ass-reamed in heaven but it was not of import?" I questioned.

"Dean, I can't," Castiel whispered. "I'm sorry. Get to the reason why you really called me. It's about Sam right?"

"Can he do it?" I asked. "Kill Lilith, stop the apocalypse?"

"Possibly, yes," Castiel admitted. "But, as you guessed, he'd have to take certain steps."

I rolled my eyes and closed the distance between us. The night seemed even blacker tonight, bleak, almost as if the universe knew that we were on the edge of the apocalypse.

"Crank up the hell-blood regimen?" I huffed.

"Consuming the amount of blood it would take to kill Lilith would change your brother, forever," Castiel stated. "Most likely, he would become the next creature that you would feel compelled to kill. There's no reason this would have to come to pass, Dean."

I took a step back and shook my head. This was all too impossible. Sam turning into something barely even human or me? I wasn't a psychic, this couldn't be happening.

"We believe it's you, Dean, not your brother," Castiel said this time he was coming closer to me. "The only question for us is whether or not you're willing to accept it. Stand up and accept your role? You are the one who will stop it."

"If I do this," I began then stopped clearing my throat and staring at Castiel. "If I do this, Sammy doesn't have to?"

"If it gives you comfort to see it that way," Castiel replied.

I glared at the angel and rolled my eyes. Castiel really didn't understand how to comfort people I shook my head, "God, you're a dick these days, you know that?"

I stepped away from him, turning my back on the Angel as I contemplated my options once again. And just like before it wasn't really a good option. It was more of a lesser of two evils. But, anything was better than allowing Sam to become some monster.

"Fine," I whispered. It still didn't feel right to me but what could I do? "I'm in."

"You give yourself over wholly to the service of God and his angels?" Castiel asked.

"Yeah, exactly," I replied.

"Say it," Castiel ordered.

"I give myself over wholly to serve God and you guys," I stated.

"You swear to follow his will and his word as swiftly and obediently as you did your own father's?"

"Yes, I swear," I growled. "Now what?"

"Now, you wait, and we call you when it's time."

**An hour later (Hailey's Point of View)**

"Where'd Dean go?" I asked Bobby.

"I don't know," Bobby sighed. "Maybe he went on a walk."

"Yeah," I replied suspiciously.

"Bobby! Dean! Hails! Aiden! Help! Hey, guys!" Sam screamed. "Guys, I need your help!"

The front door opened and Dean stepped through, shrugging his jacket off and kicking the door shut. Aiden got up from the couch as Bobby stared at Dean, wondering what he had been doing.

"What did you do, Dean?" I whispered.

"Nothin'," Dean shrugged. "I agreed to help the Angel's."

"Correct me if I'm wrong but you willingly signed up to be the angels' bitch?" Bobby demanded.

Dean cast a withering stare in Bobby's direction, the latter stared back unabashedly.

"I'm sorry," Bobby snarked. "You prefer sucker? After everything you said about them, now you trust them?"

"Give me a little credit, Bobby," Dean sighed. "I never trusted them less. I mean they come on like shady politicians from planet Vulcan."

"Then why in the hell would-" Bobby began.

"What other choice do I have?" Dean interrupted staring at all of us with an expression I couldn't read. "It's either trust the angels or let Sammy trust a demon?"

"I see your point," Bobby conceded.

"Uh, guys?" Aiden called.

"What?" Dean asked.

"You hear that?" Aiden wondered.

"Yeah, that's a little too much nothing," Bobby grimaced.

In the process of learning that Dean had decided to finally join the Angels, Sam had fallen silent. It wouldn't be odd most of the time but he had been screaming for hours and then he just suddenly stopped. I followed after Dean, Bobby, and Aiden as we rushed down the stairs and into the basement. Bobby opened the small window and looked down. I couldn't see Sam but I knew something was wrong. Any other time Sam would've rushed to the open window, demanding his release.

"What if he's faking?" Dean asked looking back towards Bobby.

"You really think he would?" Bobby responded.

"I think he'd do anything," Dean replied. His voice was devoid of all emotion, a mere statement of fact.

Suddenly I caught a glimpse of Sam being thrown from where he presumably laid on the floor to where he crashed, pinned against the wall. It looked like something that I would've done and I think Dean was hoping that was the case but I looked as shocked as they did.

"That ain't faking," Bobby exclaimed throwing opening the door and charging in with Dean on his heels.

They both grabbed Sam throwing him to the ground and pinning him in place. He thrashed around, his eyes rolling back in his head. I stood by awkwardly unsure of what to do. What really shook me was the fact that Dean seemed at a loss as well. Once Dean and Bobby had a solid hold of Sam, Bobby pulled off his belt shoving it in Sam's mouth so that he wouldn't accidently bite off his tongue or something.

"We're gonna have to tie him down for his own safety," Bobby sighed. "Dean? You with me? Dean!"

Startled green eyes found Bobby's as the latter softened his tone. "Come on, before he has another fit. Aiden, come help. Hails, get towels and the handcuffs out of the front closet. Hurry."

I quickly ran back up the stairs and opened the door to the front closet pulling out the shoebox filled with handcuffs and other restraints as well as a few towels for padding. Sam might need to be tied down but we didn't want him to hurt his wrists or ankles from fighting the handcuffs. I walked back downstairs and into the panic room. Bobby, Dean, and Aiden had gotten Sam on the cot and then quickly restrained him once I handed over the handcuffs and towels to Bobby.

With a parting glance at Sam I walked back upstairs and sat on the couch. The others came up a few minutes later and sat with me. Everything was so quiet now. I hated it. I hated waiting for whatever to happen. Knowing that until we killed Lilith that seals would keep falling until Lucifer was free. It couldn't happen and I hoped it wouldn't but what were we gonna do? Anna had said there were thousands of seals they only had to break sixty-six. The odds were definitely not in our favor.

"I'm gonna ask one more time," Bobby announced breaking the tense silence. "Are we absolutely sure we're doing the right thing?"

"It's dangerous for Sam right now," I pointed out.

"Bobby, you saw what was happening to him down there," Dean responded. "The demon blood is killing him."

"No, it isn't," Bobby disagreed. "We are."

"What?" Dean demanded.

"I'm sorry, I can't bite my tongue any longer," Bobby shook his head. "We're killing him. Keeping him down there. This cold turkey thing isn't working. If…if he doesn't get what he needs soon, Sam's not gonna last much longer."

"No," Dean growled. "I'm not giving him demon blood. I won't do it."

"Dean," I whispered.

"No!" Dean shouted. "It's not going to happen."

"And if he dies?" Bobby questioned with a glare.

"Then at least he dies human!" Dean screamed.

I couldn't smother the sob that sprang from my throat. I might've said over and over that Sam was different but he was alive, we were all together, even though things were as bad as they were.

"I would die for him in a second," Dean vowed. "But I won't let him do this to himself. I can't, I won't. I won't let my brother turn into a monster."

Even though Dean was yelling, we wee all yelling, it wasn't anger. It was grief. We were grieving for Sam. It was all we could do to hold it in, to make it come off as angry, because if we admitted the truth we'd come apart. The guilt alone was overwhelming. Maybe if I had never gotten kidnapped and Dad dropped off the map, Sam and Aiden would be lawyers by now. They'd be safe. Sam never would've been in Cold Oak, wouldn't have gotten stabbed. Dean wouldn't have made that god awful deal and everything would be okay. Or as okay as things could get for a hunter.

Then I wondered what would happen if it Dad was still alive. He never would've let things get this bad. Suddenly I missed Dad. Things just seemed so much easier when the only thing we were hunting was Azazel.

Aiden and Bobby went off to find some mention about demon detox. Or someone who knew what the hell should we do. I chose to go downstairs and sneak into the panic room. I sighed when I realized that Sam was awake, his eyes more lucid then they were when I was last down here.

"Come to gloat, Hailey?" Sam croaked.

"Don't be an asshole, Sammy," I retorted. "You think we like doing this to you?"

"Let me out," Sam ordered glaring at me. "You know this is ridiculous."

"What I find ridiculous is that my Stanford educated brother is dumb enough to not only trust a demon but drink her blood," I snapped. "Look what it's doing to you!"

"It makes me powerful," Sam growled.

"Yeah, you look really powerful there, Sam," I rolled my eyes. "Why would you do this?"

"You know why," Sam said.

"I was hoping you had a better reason," I shrugged.

"Excuse me?" Sam snarled. "You want Lilith blood just as much as I do."

"Obviously not," I disagreed.

"She sent Dean to hell, she killed him in front of us," Sam barked.

"Dean's upstairs, you moron!" I screamed. "I want her dead. Jesus, Sammy, I do. But, some prices are too high. Your life is too high. You think this is what Dean wants?"

"Dean doesn't know what he wants," Sam sneered.

"Oh, because he's weak and you're not," I rolled my eyes. "You disgust me, Sam. You think Dean brought you back, went to hell for you to turn into this?"

"How can you say that to me?" Sam whispered.

"Because you're blind with rage," I yelled. "You can't see what's right in front of you. You're tearing our family apart and what's worse? You don't even care."

"I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't care," Sam hissed.

"You keep telling yourself that, Sam," I shook my head. "You should get some sleep."

"Hailey, don't leave me here," Sam warned. "Hailey? Hailey!"

I slammed the panic door shut behind me, tears in my eyes. Why did I even bother talking to him? The only thing Sam and I did these days was argue. Even the simplest things turned into arguments. Things were so frayed that I didn't know anything about Sam these days, he was a complete and total stranger. Seeing no other option I went to sleep, hoping that when I woke up things would be better. That the last six months were just a dream.

"Hailey?" Aiden whispered. It seemed like it had only been an hour and I groaned trying to shake him off. "Hailey, wake up. Sam's gone."

"What do you mean he's gone?" I groaned, rubbing my eyes.

"He's gone!" Aiden repeated. "He got out of the panic room, knocked Bobby unconscious, and stole a car."

"Jesus Christ," I mumbled.

I followed Aiden back into the basement where Dean and Bobby were standing in the middle of the Panic room. The room itself was destroyed. Every single Devil's trap was broken, destroying the floor and the ceiling.

"How the hell did he get out?" Dean growled.

"Maybe he had help?" Bobby shrugged. "Room full of busted devil's traps."

"Demons?" Dean suggested.

"That fucking bitch," I snarled.

"Ruby," Dean guessed with equal fury.

"That'd be my guess," Bobby sighed.

"How'd she even touch the door?" Aiden asked.

"You think she's got the mojo?" Bobby wondered.

"No way," I shook my head.

"I don't know, man," Dean frowned.

"What difference does it make?" Bobby reproached. "How he got gone ain't as important as where he got gone to."

"Well I'll tell you one thing," Dean sneered. "At this point I hope he's with Ruby"

"Why?" Bobby asked.

"'Cause killing her is the next item on my to-do list," Dean hissed.

"I thought you were on call for angel duty?" Bobby said as we began to head towards the stairs.

"I am on call," Dean barked. "In my car, on my way to murder the bitch."

Dean moved past Aiden and I walking up the stairs. We followed the unspoken order to follow Dean. Which was fairly difficult to do because Dean was hauling ass. We loaded up the car in record time. I was just about to climb into the backseat when Bobby got our attention again.

"One thing," Bobby sighed.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Sam don't wanna be found, which means he's gonna be damn near impossible to find," Bobby pointed out.

"Yeah," Dean smiled coldly. "We'll see."

"Just wait a second, alright hotshot?" Bobby ordered.

"Bobby," Dean began.

I heard Bobby's house phone ringing in the distance and the rest of us quieted.

"Just wait for a few minutes, okay?" Bobby requested.

"Fine, ten minutes," Dean sighed.

"Fine."

We waited awkwardly around the impala as Bobby rushed back into the house. Sam couldn't have gotten far but all a Winchester needed was a head start to fall completely off the radar. God damn it, Sammy.

"What happened?" Aiden asked as Bobby came back.

"Police found my car," Bobby announced. "Abandoned in an alley in Jamestown, North Dakota."

"He's switching up," Dean shook his head. "Any other cars stolen in Jamestown?"

"Two," Bobby answered. "'99 Honda Civic, blue. Nice and anonymous like Sam likes."

"What's the other one?" Aiden wondered.

"White oh-five Escalade with custom rims," Bobby scoffed. "It's a neon sign."

"You're right," Dean agreed. "He'd never take that. Which is exactly why he did."

"You think?" Bobby questioned.

"I know that kid," Dean vowed. "All right, we'll head in that direction. You stay here and ride the police databases. We gotta find him quick."

Too bad driving towards Jamestown and then driving around the area, looking for the car or anyone else who could've seen Sam or places that looked like Sam would stop by. As the minutes ticked by our tempers grew shorter and shorter. Finally Dean's phone rang and he answered it instantly.

"Yeah," Dean said by way of greeting clicking the phone to speaker.

"Cops found the Escalade in a ditch outside of Elk River," Bobby announced.

"How far away are we?" Dean asked.

"A couple of hours," Bobby replied. "I pulled up a weather mp, made some calls. There's a town not far from there, Cold Spring. It's lighting up with demon omens."

"A good place to look," Dean noted.

"Hey, Dean, listen," Bobby ordered.

"What?" Dean sighed.

"Us finding Sam?" Bobby began. "It's gotta be about getting him back, not pushing him away."

"Right," Dean said curtly.

"I know you guys are mad. I understand," Bobby said. "You got a right to be, but I'm just sayin. Be good to him anyway. You gotta get through to him. You're the only ones who can."

Dean hung up, leaving the rest of us in a awkward silence. I knew that once upon a time we were the only ones who could get through to one another. But, I don't think that stands, not anymore. The bonds we once had with Sam had unraveled and were only hanging by a thread if they were still there at all. Even though things were so bad, the love I had for Sam was still there buried underneath all the hurt and the rage. There was so, so much rage. I never even knew I could be so mad at just one person, let alone one of my brother's.

"This is gonna get nasty," Aiden frowned.

We had found the escalade hidden in the parking lot of a four star hotel. The hotel was far from our usual haunts. Mostly because it was out of our price range and they were more observant of their clientele. We split up on different floors searching for Sam. I got into the elevator to the sixth floor and quickly flattened myself to the opposite wall when I saw someone turn the cone. Sam walked right by me and down the hallway. I met both Dean and Aiden in the room. Well, I stood next to Aiden while Dean tried to stab Ruby in the back. She whirled around at the last second. They were grabbling for a bit as I made sure the door stayed shut. Ruby was stronger than she looked tossing Dean off a few times before he had her pinned. Sam was banging on the front door I went lying when Sam managed to open the door even with the telekinetic push to keep it shove. He quickly got in between Dean and Ruby.

"No," Sam protested, pushing Dean backward. "Let her go. Just take it easy."

Dean, Aiden, and I stood side by side with Sam and Ruby across from us. This wasn't how things should've been. I should've exorcised Ruby the second I met her, that was my mistake. And it cost us everything.

"Well, it must've been some party you two had going," Dean sneered. "Considering how hard you tried to keep it from us. Well, solid try, but here we are."

"I'm glad you guys are here," Sam responded. "Let's just talk about this."

"Soon as she's dead, we can talk all you want," Dean promised glaring at Ruby.

"Ruby get outta here," Sam ordered.

"No, she's not going anywhere."

We moved to stop her but Sam blocked her body with his, allowing Ruby to make her escape. That demon bitch was dead I didn't care if she got away now, I would make sure she was dead.

"She's poison, Sam!" Dean snarled.

"It's not what you think, Dean," Sam protested.

"Look what she did to you!" Dean retorted. "I mean, she up and vanishes weeks at a time, leaves you cracking out for another hit."

"She was looking for Lilith," Sam stated.

"That's French for manipulating your ass ten ways from fucking Sunday," Dean snapped.

"You're wrong, Dean," Sam whispered.

"Sam, you're lying to yourself," Dean begged. "I just want you to be okay. You would do the same for me. You know you would."

"Just listen," Sam pleaded.

Sam seemed to realize that he was still holding the demon-killing knife and tossed it on the bed.

"Just listen for a second," Sam reasoned. "We got a lead on a demon close to Lilith. Come with us. We'll do this together. As a family."

"Now you're pulling the family card?" I sneered.

"Oh, right I forgot I ran out on all the family bonding when I was tied up in a basement!" Sam snarled.

"We were trying to help you," I retorted.

"Yeah, you've done a lot of help," Sam scoffed.

"Hey, you guys, this isn't helping," Aiden reproached.

I looked towards Aiden and noticed he was sending me a pleading look. I flushed in contrition realizing that he had been put in the middle of all of Sam and my fights. Just like Dad and Sam had done with dad. It was funny how all the arguments in the Winchester family seemed to involve Sam nine times out of ten.

"That sounds great, Sammy," Dean said, acknowledging what Sam had said before I jumped in. "As long as it's only us. Demon bitch is a deal breaker. You kiss her goodbye and we'll go right now."

"I can't," Sam whispered.

Dean turned away nodding and I found a bunch of insults just waiting to be let loose but I didn't say anything because Aiden moved away from my side and pushed Sam.

"Of course you can't," Aiden hissed. "Because you're too much of a coward to stand on your own. What's worse is you're now consistently choosing a fucking demon over your own family. Hey, Sammy, I got news for you." He pointed towards Dean. "He's right there. You're gunning so goddamn hard for her and for what?"

"She's kick starting the fucking apocalypse," Sam hissed, shoving Aiden back. "Or do you want her to break the final seal? I need Ruby to help me kill Lilith. I know you all can't wrap your fucking heads around it, but one day, you'll understand. I'm the only one who can do this." At that he looked pointedly at Dean.

"You're not the one who's gonna do this," Dean growled.

"Right," Sam sneered. "That's right, I forgot. You're the Angels golden boy. They think it's you."

"Who are you?" Dean hissed.

"I'm just being practical here," Sam replied sounding less combative than he had a moment ago. "I'm doing what needs to be done."

"Yeah?" Dean challenged. "You're not gonna do a single fucking thing"

"Stop bossing me around, Dean!" Sam barked, before calming himself. "Look, my whole life, you take the wheel, you call the shots, and because you're my big brother. Now I'm asking you, for once, trust me."

"No," Dean shook his head. "You don't know what you're doing, Sam!"

"Yes, I do," Sam corrected.

"Then that's worse," Dean growled.

"Why?" Sam demanded. "Look, I'm telling you…"

"Because then it's not something that you're doing, it's what you are," Dean stated his voice becoming shaky with emotion. "It means…"

"What?" Sam growled, already anticipating what Dean had almost said. "No. Say it."

'_No, don't say it' I thought. _

"It means you're a monster," Dean whispered.

I know that Dean hated to say it. The lone tear said volumes. This hurt Dean so much, he probably thought he failed in some way. It was his job to protect us and he failed where Sam was concerned. But, Sam had done everything possible to push us away. I watched as Sam nodded his head before he moved suddenly, punching Dean right in the face, knocking him down. I went to go to Dean, but Aiden grabbed my arm, shaking his head. His message was clear this was between Sam and Dean.

I watched as Dean rose straightening to his full height as he glared malevolently at Sam. This was bad, this was really, really bad. Dean moved quickly punching Sam in the face as hard as he possibly could. It reminded me of when Dean first found out about this whole thing but that fight was nothing. Because now Sam was fighting back. When you learn how to hurt someone you'll use it to your advantage, making sibling spats a hell of a lot more violent then most. Things like honor went out the window when you were so angry that you couldn't even see straight. But, this was different, this was so much more real then any other fight before now. The room, which unfortunately was a really nice room was quickly destroyed. The designed mirror, the glass coffee table, the random wood cared see-through room divider. Everything.

Sam shoved Dean through the room divider and he crashed through the coffee table sprawling on the ground. This had gone on long enough. Things stilled for a moment before Sam closed the distance between Dean and himself, pinning Dean to the floor and choking him.

"Sam, no!" I yelled.

It took Aiden and I both to get him off and I cursed the fact that I couldn't use my abilities against him. I could throw stuff into him but I couldn't move Sam physically, Azazel had messed that up. Although, I could do it sometimes. I think it was because he was so juiced up on demon blood that I couldn't. Sam was pulled away from Dean but he shrugged us off pushing us backwards. I fell into Aiden and we both fell down.

Sam stood shaking, towering over us, rage in his eyes. I've said it time and time again but I truly didn't recognize the man in front of me. "You don't know me. You never did. And you never will."

Sam began to walk away leaving us on the floor. I stirred trying to go help Dean who was more hurt that he was letting on.

"You walk out that door," Dean wheezed. "Don't you ever come back."

Sam stopped short staring at Dean. I flashed back to when Dad and Sam had their last big fight. When Dad had so those exact same words, leading to us not seeing Sam for two years. Sam looked at all of us, wounded before his features hardened and he purposefully opened the door, letting it slam shut behind him.

I laid back staring at the ceiling. Dean's last words to Sam echoing in my mind. Followed by Azazel's taunts. What he had said to Dean when Sam came back. _"Are you sure what your brought back is one hundred percent real Sam." _Jesus, what if Azazel was right.

* * *

**_Author's Note: I gotta be honest with you guys. I love the Winchester clan and I use to love Supernatural but the most recent seasons have really not been my favorite. I still watch but it wasn't with the same enthusiasm as before. I often DVR it and watch it when I get bored. It just isn't the show I started watching. They tore my favorite brothers apart and they promised to bring them back together, better than ever but that hasn't happened. _**

**_With my mixed feelings on the actual show my muse has been very hard to please. But I wanted to get this chapter to you. Just as a warning this is the second to last chapter. I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be the last, I haven't decided for sure, though. Weigh in with your thoughts, I always like to hear what y'all think_**

**_Love,_**

**_Beccatdemon13  
_**


	50. The Landslide Will Bring You Down

**_Author's Note: Just as a general warning: this story is rated 'M' for a reason. There's some pretty graphic (in my opinion) violence. So ye be warned. Read and review, I'm curious about how people are going to react. Based on reaction this may or may not be the final chapter._**

* * *

**Chapter Fifty: The Landslide Will Bring You Down**

"_Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves."_

There was only one thing that had the power to stop me in my tracks. I'm talking full and complete paralysis. The only thing that has the ability to make me go completely off the rails, lose my mind. The death of my father, and then the deaths of both Sam and Dean before their resurrection being the primary examples.

This was a whole new situation, though. Something that I had never in my wildest dreams had ever thought would or could happen. Siblings fight and the Winchesters were no exception but the fight between Sam and Dean yesterday summed up how far my family had fallen. Not even the Stanford fights were that bad. Nerves were frayed and tensions were high, there was no denying that but it was hard to not take things personal when it was a family thing.

We had gone back to Bobby's. It seems that was what we always did now-a-days when we needed a minute think and plan things out. We had always been welcome at Bobby's ever since the first time we had met the man when I was two years old.

"Come on, you guys," Bobby sighed. "You need to listen to what I'm saying."

"We heard you," Aiden mumbled.

"I'm not calling him," Dean growled.

"Don't make me get my gun, boy," Bobby snapped.

The threat was obviously an empty one but the anger behind it, wasn't. No, Bobby Singer was angrier than I remember seeing him in years. Not since he had found out about Dean's cross road deal and even then he was more scared then angry. No, this time he was pissed.

"We are damn near kickoff for Armageddon," Dean retorted. Letting his own anger and irritation from the past seventy-two hours bled into his tone. "Don't you think we have bigger fish at the moment?"

"I know you're pissed," Bobby cajoled. "All of you are. And I'm not making apologies for what he's done but he's your…"

"Blood?" Dean interrupted with a scowl. "He's our blood. Is that what you were gonna say?"

"He's your brother," Bobby stated firmly. "And he's drowning."

"He pulled a gun on you," I reminded.

"I pulled a gun on your father once," Bobby shrugged.

"Yeah, and you never saw him again," I huffed.

"Bobby, we tried to help him," Dean muttered. "Look what happened."

If by helping him he meant having a knock down, drag 'em out fight. Then, yeah, we'd all done a terrific job.

"Then try again," Bobby said. His tone exasperated as he glanced at all three of us.

"Too late," Aiden mumbled.

"Boy, there's no such thing," Bobby rebuked.

"No, damn it!" Dean barked. "No, I gotta face the facts. Sam never wanted part of this family. He hated this life. Ran away to Stanford the first chance he got. Now it's like déjà vu all over again."

Dean sat on the couch, his elbows on his knees, his face buried in his hands. I don't remember ever seeing him so defeated, it scared me.

"Well," Dean whispered. "I'm sick and tired of chasing him. Screw him, he can do whatever the fuck he wants."

"You don't mean that," Bobby chided.

"Yes, I do," Dean retorted. "Sam's gone. He's gone, Bobby. I'm not sure if he's still my brother anymore. If he ever was."

Aiden and I exchanged a startled glance at that. It wasn't something I had ever expected Dean to say. Then again these past few months had been one unexpected thing after another. Bobby had a much different reaction that the one Aiden and I had. He had turned to his desk, and Aiden who was sitting behind it, looking at a random book on the table top. Aiden jumped when Bobby moved quickly, angrily sweeping his hands on the desk, sending books and papers flying to the ground. Aiden stared at Bobby in shock, when we were younger one of the first things Bobby had ever taught us were that books were to be respected. We were never to throw them at one another (Aiden had smacked Sam upside the head with an encyclopedia when he was five) and any papers in Bobby's study weren't to be touched. That one was directed at me. I had decided when I was three, for whatever reason I gathered all the papers I found and toss them from the second floor landing. It had been amusing until I was spanked for it.

Still while Bobby had lost his temper, pulling a shotgun on my father being the major support to that fact. I had never seen him do that to books. Bobby didn't even stop, advancing quickly towards Dean, who had stood up when Bobby had knocked everything to the floor.

"You stupid, stupid son of a bitch!" Bobby screamed, poking Dean in the chest. Now he looked shocked and maybe a little intimidated. "Well, boo hoo, I am so sorry your feelings are hurt, princess! Are you under the impressing that family's supposed to make you feel good? Make you an apple pie, maybe? They're supposed to make you miserable, that's why they're _family_!"

"I told him, 'you walk out that door, don't come back,' and he walked out anyway!" Dean snarled. "That was his choice!"

"You sound like a whiny brat," Bobby sneered. "No, you sound like your dad. Well, let me tell you all something. Your father was a coward!"

"Our dad was a lot of things, Bobby, but a coward?" Dean questioned.

"He'd rather push Sam away than reach out to him. That don't strike me as brave," Bobby shook his head. "You're a better man than your daddy ever was, Dean. So, you do all of us a favor, don't be him."

Dean was like Dad in a lot of ways but there were more differences than similarities. They had similar temperaments but Dean was a lot more responsible. It might not seem like he was with his one-night stands and his love for alcohol but when we were growing up it was Dean who made sure that we did everything we were supposed to. Dad was too busy out hunting. Most of my memories of him, with the exception of him taking care of me when I was sick, were of hunting or training. Bobby was right though. When it came down to it, Dean was better than Dad in a lot of ways. Even if he was angrier with us beyond reason he'd always let us explain our side of things. He was hurt when Aiden and Sam left for school but he didn't hate them, he knew why they had to leave. Then again these past couple months had a ringer for all of us. The way we watched our once tight family bonds fray and break had let everyone anger and scared. It was something we had never been prepped for, something we never thought would happen.

I felt a sudden cold rush over me and glanced up from where I had been looking from the floor. Dean was no longer in the room. He hadn't left by storming out because he would've had to walk by me. Instead he vanished in front of thin air, based on the shock looked on Aiden and Bobby's face.

"Where the hell did he go?" Aiden growled.

"Angels," I retorted. "It had to be."

"Those guys are dicks," Aiden mumbled.

**Sam's Point of View**

"Sammy?" Ruby called. "Sam!"

I didn't react to her voice didn't say a word, staring off into the empty fields. We had run from that hotel room and into the countryside a few hours away, finding an abandoned house. My body hurt from the fight the night before. Things had turned out so much differently than I ever thought it would. Things had never been this bad before.

"I'm good," I sighed. "Let's go."

"You okay?" Ruby asked, softly.

I turned around to look at her, raising one eyebrow in irritation, "Just said I was."

"Look, I know hand-holding isn't really my thing," Ruby frowned. "But still, Dean was wrong, saying what he said to you."

"No," I disagreed. "He was right to say it. I mean, I don't blame him after what I did."

I didn't blame any of them. I had changed. I was a monster, a stranger. Doing things that I never thought that I would ever been capable of doing. I was no better than the things we had hunted for the better part of my life.

"Well, after we're done, you all will patch things up," Ruby said, in an obvious effort to cheer me up. "I mean, you always do."

This was so much different though. This wasn't me running off on some pipe dream of finding normalcy, being a lawyer and saving people that way. No, this was putting my need for vengeance, slightly blurred by the need to kill the thing that had caused all this pain, over my family. Hailey had stated it time and time again even Aiden had started. Dean was back, they told me. We don't have to avenge anything anymore. But, couldn't they see? Nothing was like it was. I had to do this. I had to do this for my family; I was the only one who could.

"You're talking like I got an after," I scoffed.

"Don't say that," Ruby rebuked, approaching me slowly.

"I can feel it inside me," I mumbled, taking a step back. I didn't want her near me, not right now. "I've changed. For good. And there's no going back now."

"Sam…"

"Shut up, Ruby," I barked. "I know what I gotta do. It's okay, I'm just saying, they're better off without me."

"Don't say that, Sam," Ruby shook her head. "They love you."

"Not anymore," I muttered. "And we're not talking about this anymore. Let's just go, alright? Or do you wanna have some mani-pedis first?"

Ruby glared at me but got into the car with me following suit. We had to catch Lilith's chef before she got wind that we were on to her. She would lead us to Lilith she had to.

**Hailey's Point of View**

Now it looked like Aiden and I were taking on this thing by ourselves. The only thing I knew was that I never wanted my big brothers more. The worst thing about being the youngest wasn't the bullying from your older siblings, or their bossiness, or even the random overprotection, no it was the fact that no matter what, you put them on pedestals. Like they could no wrong in your eyes. No matter what, no matter how dark things got, or whatever they did that was so bad, you never lost that hope, that spark that they would make everything okay again.

The thing about the Apocalypse, from everything I had ever read was that nothing would be okay. Hell rising up was so far from okay. I had thought my training was supposed to cover everything. It was supposed to protect me, and my family, and the civilians we saved on a daily basis but I didn't know how to fix this.

"Hay, come on, we need you to focus," Aiden reproached. "Now, if you were a demon looking to kick start the Apocalypse what would you do?"

"I…I just don't know," I mumbled, rising to my feet and staring out of the window, the same window Dean had looked through before he had disappeared.

I heard the thump of Aiden's boots on the hardwood before his hand landed on my shoulder, spinning me around. The look in his eyes was the same fierce determination I had seen in my father's whenever he mentioned Azazel, the way Dean reacted whenever one of us were in trouble. The way Sam got whenever he mentioned law or anythin that he had once dreamed of doing. It was a look that might scare most people, but it was comforting to see. I found myself straightening to my full height as Aiden's eyes bored into my own.

"Listen to me, Hailey," Aiden ordered. "I know everything's screwed to hell. But, Dean and Sam would want us to do this. We have to forget about all the other bullshit and figure out where Lilith is. We have to stop her before she kick starts Armageddon."

"What do we do?" I asked.

"I'm going to call Tasha," Aiden said. "You find Luce and Abby, see if your Trinity stuff will give us any leads. The quicker we stop this, the quicker we can find Sam and Dean."

I opened my phone and quickly called Abby, "Abs?"

"Hailey," Abby said. "We're close to the End, aren't we?"

"Yeah, I think so," I mumbled. "You and Luce still together?"

"Yup," Abby replied. "You got a plan, fearless leader?"

"No," I said. "But Castiel said that we were stronger together. How fast can you make it to Bobby's?"

"Three hours," Abby guessed. "Tops."

"Make it two and a half," I ordered. "I'm thinking that every second is gonna count with this one."

"See you soon, Hails," Abby replied.

Just as I was about to put my phone back in my pocket it began to ring again. Normally that was Tasha's MO but the name flashing across the screen was Dean.

"Dean?" I demanded. "Where are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Hailey," Dean sighed. "I've been Angel-napped."

"Those fucking freaks," I growled.

"Hey," Dean interrupted my would be tirade. "I'm trying to get out of here, but I think you and Aiden are up to bat."

"Dean."

"I know, Hailey Jade," Dean said. "I love you."

"I love you too," I whispered.

"Be safe," Dean ordered.

"You too," I said.

This time I placed my phone back into my pocket and sighed. There were so many directions this could've gone in but we had to narrow it down to one. I walked back and forth, wracking my brain for anything that could point me the right way. No matter what I tried to do, negative thoughts and feelings kept coming back. I was so out of my element.

"Hay," Aiden called. "I think we got a lead in Maryland."

"What did Natasha say?" I asked.

"Her visions aren't making sense," Aiden grumbled. "She's irritated but she keeps seeing a church. She knows it is definitely in Maryland but she doesn't know where."

"Okay," I mumbled.

"The weird thing is she said that Azazel is involved or was involved," Aiden sighed. "Something about a slaughter and the church has been abandoned since the seventies."

"Guess we'll start heading in that direction," I shrugged. "We gotta find Abby and Lucy, though. They're coming in this direction."

"Why don't you get a head start on your motorcycle?" Aiden suggested. "You'll catch them quicker than the impala."

"Be safe, Aiden," I whispered.

"You too," Aiden said. "I'll be right behind you. I'm going to tell Bobby what we're planning. Tell him to man the fort."

**Sam's Point of View**

We were so close to ending things that I could taste it, I could feel it. Lilith's days were numbered and I was going to kill her. Unfortunately I had killed every decent relationship I had on the way to this very moment but I couldn't think about that now. Maybe one day they would forgive me, but that wasn't anytime soon. We had found Lilith's chef in the pediatric floor; apparently her best dish was baby. All the more reason for this bitch to die with her boss.

"What, no Devil's trap?" The demon, dressed in hospital scrubs and tennis shoes. The person had once been an RN.

"I don't need one," I smirked.

"Look at you," The demonic nurse smirked back. "All 'roided up. It's like A-Rod and Madonna over here."

"Where's Lilith?" I questioned sharply.

"I'm not scared of you," The nurse scoffed.

"Yeah, you are, actually," I corrected. "And with good reason."

"Look," The nurse glared. "What's my upside? Okay, I tell you, you kill me. I don't tell you, you still kill me. I somehow get away; Lilith will definitely kill me. So, where's my carrot?"

"I think you should be more worried about what happens before you die," I shrugged.

The nurse didn't have time to react to my words before I held up a hand and closed my eyes. Almost immediately she began to scream. I continued torturing her until she began to react more vocally.

"Stop!" She pleaded. "Please! Stop!"

"You'll tell me where she is?" I growled. I upped the ante the slightest bit, just in case she had second thoughts about toughing this out.

"Fine," She whispered. "Fine! Just, please, let me die."

"Deal," I replied dropping my hand.

"Tomorrow night, midnight," The demon gasped. "She's gonna be at a convent…St. Mary's, Illchester, Maryland."

"A convent?" I repeated, doubtfully.

"Lilith, she's gonna break the final seal," The demon replied.

"What's the final seal?" I demanded.

"I don't know," The demon whispered.

I raised one eyebrow before holding my hand back up and clenching my fist. This thing only worked with demons and barely harmed the person they were possessing, which was how I didn't feel that guilty about it.

"Aaaah!" The demon screamed, frantically. "I don't know! I don't know!" She began to sob as I lowered my hand once more. "I don't know! I swear! Please, I'm begging you kill me. Kill me, please!"

"Fine," I retorted.

I held up my hand for the final time as I began to exorcise the demon. Her eyes went to black as the demon fought to stay in the nurse's body. Just as I was about to kill her Ruby distracted me, grabbing my arm and pulling it down. I looked at her in surprise as she stared up at me.

"You can't kill her," Ruby whispered.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because we've gotta take her with us," Ruby explained. "It's the final run on the Death Star, and you need more juice than I got."

"Wait," The nurse protested. "You promised!"

"Sorry, sister," Ruby sneered walking towards the door. "You're a walking, talking can of whup-ass."

"You bitch!" The nurse snarled.

"I know," Ruby laughed. "You just can't trust anyone these days."

"Well, at least you wont be able to crack me open that easy," The nurse shrugged settling back against the table.

"That so?" Ruby questioned.

"Don't forget," The nurse smiled. "It's not just me you're bleeding. In fact, I think I'm gonna take a little…siesta in the subconscious, hand over the wheel for a little bit."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Cindy McClellan, RN, come on down!" The nurse whooped

The nurse closed her eyes and rested against the table. Before I could ask Ruby what was going on, although, I had a vague idea, the host; Cindy woke up with a gasp. She struggled to move and found she couldn't. She began to cry almost immediately. I had never seen a demon willingly give over control of a body they were possessing, ever.

"Oh, god," Cindy whispered. "I can't move. What's going on? Help! Help me, please!"

"Terrific," Ruby sneered.

**Hailey's Point of View**

One of the positives of having a motorcycle was the fact that you could weave in and out of cars, avoiding nearly all traffic delays. I saw the two motorcycles a hundred yards a head of me, and floored it, catching Abby and Lucy before they could take the exit that would lead to Bobby's. I pulled over to the shoulder of I-80, pulling my helmet off my head.

"Hails?" Lucy asked. "I thought we were meeting you at Bobby's?"

"Change of plans," I said. "Natasha sees something happening in Maryland, she doesn't have the exact location but we gotta move, we're still seven hours away, at least."

"Then let's go," Abby said.

We all embraced and I felt slightly better than I had been feeling. I put my helmet back on, jumping on my bike and revving the engine before taking off, Abby and Lucy at my heels. We broke as many speed limits as we possibly could and only stopped twice; doing anything we could to shave off seconds. My phone began to ring as we turned on to 695, which would take us straight through Maryland, enabling us to take whatever exit we were supposed to. I'm glad that I had programmed a blue tooth to fit into my helmet, which was how I kept going.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hails, it's me," Natasha said. "I finally got something."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Illchester, Maryland," Natasha replied. "St. Mary's convent. Hails, this is it."

"I know," I whispered.

"Be careful," Natasha ordered. "It goes south, get out, okay?"

"You know I will," I replied.

"Bye, Hailey."

"Bye Natasha."

I tried to ignore how final that goodbye felt as signaled to Abby and Lucy that we finally knew we were going. The sun had begun to set as I floored my bike again. It was an awful thing trying to beat the clock when you had no idea what time it would be d-day. The sign for Illchester was a happy one. Proudly proclaiming how nice of a town it was, and how happy the residents were to live there. What had probably happened was the convent turned into an urban legend something people thought someone just made up to scare people. Unfortunately it was all too real.

We were racing down the one highway that literally split the town in two when I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. There was no time to react, none at all. Suddenly Abby, Lucy, and I weren't so alone anymore. Fire flew overhead, almost hitting me as I floored it. With one ball of fire came more, setting anything it could reach alight. Demons were everywhere, no doubt possessing the happy citizens of Illchester. I blasted a few of them away but more kept coming using their own telekinesis to their advantage.

I heard a yelp and a thump and risked a glance behind me. Abby had fallen off her bike, the latter of which was consumed in flames sliding and flipped down the road, taking out Lucy in the process. Lucy fell hard against the pavement rolling and bouncing before she skidded to an awkward stop. I didn't have time to worry about them. I didn't know if they were hurt, or dead. All I knew was suddenly I was in the air, unable to breath as my motorcycle blew up into a million little pieces.

One demon broke through the ranks of what looked like at least two hundred demons circling us. Two demons each held Abby and Lucy up by their arms. Every single one of them had victorious smirks on their faces.

"I bet you had thought you had gotten rid of me, Hailey Winchester," The demon that broke through the ranks called up to me. "You only banished me. Sumerian, nice touch."

"Beelzebub," I snarled.

"Nice memory," Beelzebub praised. "Better circumstances too. I don't think your little Trinity will pose much of a problem much longer."

"Don't you touch them," I snarled.

"You're in no position to be giving orders," Beelzebub laughed. "Leviathan, Metatron, would you like the honor?"

He had turned his attention away from me to glance at Abby and Lucy. When two more demons, Leviathan, and Metatron, I assumed approached the two I began thrashing around, trying to get down. Instead I knocked down some demons and attracted Beelzebub's attention once more. His ice blue eyes glared up at me as he twisted his hand.

My back arched with a strangled cry. My let arm dangling uselessly at my side. He smirked up at me before he twisted his other hand and this time the pain was all the more excruciating, targeting my right leg, the one that ended up breaking with every other hunt, it seemed.

"Now, you just sit there and let the adults talk a moment, yeah?" Beelzebub grinned. When I didn't say a word he laughed. "Terrific."

"We kill these three and the only thing standing between Hell and Lucifer's rising is Lilith."

"Yes, Leviathan," Beelzebub said. "The day of reckoning is upon us. Do you want the honors with this one?

He had grabbed Abby by her hair, yanking her from the two lower level demons that had been holding her up. She was in bad shape. Her arms and face were scrapped raw from the road, her clothing hung in tatters. Abby didn't seem to be too conscious either. Maybe that was a blessing, I thought as Leviathan pulled a serrated knife from the pocket of his jacket.

"NO!" Lucy howled. "You leave her alone, you sons of bitches!"

"Ooh, the mouth on children these days," Beelzebub snickered. "You wait your turn, sweetheart. You're next."

Leviathan stabbed the knife into Abby as soon as Beelzebub had finished his sentence. He stabbed her right in the stomach and twisted the blade before pulling it out once more. I tried to turn away from the carnage but I was frozen in place forced to watch as one of my closest friends was stabbed over and over again, until he finally tossed her body on the ground, her eyes were open, glazed and unseeing.

Where were those ancient spirits that had possessed us every other time the Trinity had been possessed? Where the was Aiden? He was supposed to meet us and there was no reason why Natasha wouldn't have called Aiden after she talked to me. Hell, she probably called him first. But, where was he.

"One down," The silent Metatron smirked. "Two to go. I want the redhead."

"Go ahead, brother mine," Leviathan replied, graciously offering him the same knife that had been responsible for Abby's murder.

"No!" I screamed. "No, don't you fucking touch her!"

"Hailey Winchester, always so bossy," Beelzebub chuckled.

Suddenly the darkness was interrupted when an impossibly bright light rushed from the convent and into the sky. Showing everything that had gone on in the last half hour. The little fires looked more sinister, but it wasn't as bad as the blood everywhere, making the concrete appear wet. The lower level Demons fell silent, they had been cheering to look towards St. Mary's staring at the light in awe.

"Father," They intoned softly.

Just as Lucy began to scream Beelzebub dropped me from the hold he had on me, nearly twenty feet in the air. Bones broke like dry twigs and I screamed, loudly. I tried getting up but Beelzebub was on top of me before I could move grabbing my hair and yanking me to my feet.

"Humans," Metatron sneered as he tore into Lucy. "They'll finally be put in their rightful place. What was God thinking? We should put these insects above him? Even their precious Trinity is useless."

"Exactly," Leviathan laughed. "Look how easy that one was too kill. Our brother will finally be free."

"You hear that, Winchester?" Beelzebub taunted. "You lose. And now, you die."

**Aiden's Point of View (Thirty minutes before)**

I had barely gotten to the convent on time. Thank god that Natasha was on our side otherwise I didn't know how we would've found this place. I pulled the impala into the small parking lot and rushed into the church. As I walked slowly through the sizable building, I felt the anticipation. I could sense other people here, somewhere. And they were most likely demons. Before I could make my way down the staircase someone grabbed me.

I threw a punch catching the demon in the face with no small measure of satisfaction as we grabbled with one another. I had the upper hand until he punched me in the stomach and then grabbed me by the throat, lifting me off my face.

"All the Winchesters will die tonight," The demon vowed. "About goddamn time."

"That's what you think."

I would recognize that deep voice anywhere, Dean. I sagged with relief as Dean used the demon's slight distraction to plunge the demon-killing knife through his back. I heard the sparks as the demon died.

"You okay?" Dean asked, looking at the bruises starting to form around my neck.

"Yeah," I replied. "Where've you been?"

"Long story," Dean sighed. "Come on, we have to find Sam. He's going to kill Lilith."

"Isn't that a good thing?" I asked. "She's going to break the final seal."

"Lilith is the final seal," Dean frowned. "Castiel beamed me here. Where's Hailey?"

"She should've been here," I said. "She went to catch up with Abby and Lucy. She was supposed to meet me here."

Dean frowned in my direction but he didn't slow his pace as he raced down to the basement. I flinched when I noticed that there were bodies everywhere, slumped against the walls and the floor. Like they had all decided to go to sleep and just didn't wake up. I heard Dean's sharp intake of breath and looked up. Sam was standing in the room down the hallway; his hand raised pinning Lilith against a marble table.

Ruby stood to the side of Sam and had turned around. She smirked widely before she raised her hand and slammed the door. I felt this sick sense of satisfaction she was evil. She was a demon through and through. There wasn't anything good or helpful about her. She had some sort of plan from the beginning.

Dean and I ran down the hallway, screaming for Sam to stop and trying to throw open the door. He had to know that something wasn't right. Sam couldn't possibly be this stupid. Our instincts were better than most and Sam was no exception. Although when one was so driven with vengeance than things like instinct and intelligence took a backseat to everything else.

I heard the thump of a body hitting the floor and hoped that I had heard wrong as both Dean and I threw our wait against the door, causing it to fly open. Ruby had been by Sam's side but when we entered she stood up and smirked at both of us.

"You're too late," Ruby smiled.

"I don't care," Dean snarled.

I watched as Dean closed the distance between Ruby and himself, advancing on her quickly. Sam stood up and grabbed her from behind keeping her in place as Dean plunged the knife into her stomach. Ruby gasped in surprise and pain as Dean brutally twisted the knife before ripping it back out. Sam threw her to the ground. Hailey would be ecstatic, Ruby was finally dead. Which reminded me, Hailey was still MIA. She should've been here; she had left Bobby's before I did.

I looked from Ruby's body to see Sam staring at Dean and I mournfully. "I'm so sorry."

There was nothing to say, nothing we could say. Sam had done everything we had been taught not to do and then some. Who would ever willingly drink a demon's blood? But, the anger deflated as I looked at Sam in disappointment. No matter what he was still my brother, and nothing he would do would change that.

"Oh, my god," Dean hissed.

My attention went from Sam who looked completely defeated to the floor. Blood was pouring from Lilith but it wasn't doing any normal thing that blood does when exiting a fatal wound. No, instead it was forming a circle on the floor, and some of the blood went from the circle inwards towards the center. Oh, this was bad. This was really, really bad.

"Sammy, let's go," Dean ordered grabbing both Sam and I by our jackets.

Sam clutched at Dean's arm staring at the floor in horror.

When all the blood had reached the center point a brilliant white light shot straight up and the convent began to tremble. Slowly but surely the white expanded and in my horror I realized exactly what Dean had been talking about. The first demon was the final seal. It was all so easy, so easy to guess but we had missed it entirely. And now Lucifer was rising.

"Dean…he's coming."

Sam's voice was whisper soft as white began to fill the room. We all rushed to the door but found that it was locked. I looked to Dean, willing him to find a way to get us out of here but he seemed pretty stunned. Just when I was resigning myself to meet the devil, I felt a sudden tug and then the three of us landed back on the ground. I rose unsteadily to my feet and saw that we were just outside the church, near the highway that ran right through Illchester.

"Oh, no," Sam whispered.

I tore my gaze away from the church to where he was looking and gasped. There was fire everywhere. Little pools of oil that were on fire as the ground was soaked in blood and mud. There had been a battle here. Then, just as I thought this day couldn't get any worse, I saw Hailey's helmet. It was then I realized that the little pools of oil and the things glittering on the street were once the motorcycles that Hailey, Abby, and Lucy rode.

"No!" Dean screamed. "No, no, no!"

There were no street lights anywhere around and the small fires only seemed to make the darkness darker. I grabbed a flare from my jacket and lit it tossing it into the air, creating the nearby area to be cast in a red light. I almost wish I hadn't done that, instantly showing two mangled bodies. I smothered a sob looking at Abby and Lucy. Whoever had killed them, had taken pleasure in doing it, had taken their time.

"Jesus," I whispered.

What I heard next I always would remember. A sound so full of grief, so pure that the hair on the back of my neck and my arms stood on end. It was a sound that I never, ever wanted to hear again. I ran towards where Dean had dropped to his knees. I didn't get too close because the second I realized who Dean was cradling in his arms the bottom of my stomach dropped out, I turned and threw up before I crawled the rest of the way towards my brothers.

I don't think anyone would disagree that the life of a hunter was difficult. We had experienced a lot of death. Of people close to us, family members and those we considered family. But, this seemed even worse because it was so unexpected. We were supposed to protect her. I was supposed to protect her, not even half a day ago we were together. I was supposed to be looking out for her and now she was dead. Hailey was dead.

"No," Sam whispered. "This can't be happening. Not her."

I was sobbing, leaning into Dean's side. Hailey had been tortured, just as much as Abby and Lucy had. Her bones were broken, her arms had deep scratches; they looked like defensive wounds, Hailey had fought to get away but she couldn't. The asshole had gutted her and left her to bleed to death. She had died all alone, knowing that Lucifer had risen; the apocalypse had begun.

**Outsider Point of View**

Hailey Winchester had died doing exactly what she had been raised to do. She had been taught to fight and protect those who were lost and afraid. Those who weren't aware of the more sinister side of the world going on around them. She was only twenty years old, had experienced more loss than most people would in a lifetime but she tried not to lose hope. She was optimist and loved by her immediate family and those who she deemed family. Hailey had a boyfriend, a fiancé, actually. Despite everything Hailey enjoyed her life and tried to keep her family together. The worst thing was that fact that she had died without making peace with her older brother Sam. Every hunter who had met her took solace in only one thing: she died a hero fighting to keep Lucifer in hell. Unfortunately, hell won that day.


	51. Scream, Aim, Fire

**Chapter Fifty-One: Scream, Aim, Fire**

"_So much of what is best in us is bound up in our love of family, that it remains the measure of our stability because it measures our sense of loyalty."_

**Outsider's Point of View**

"What do you mean you can't bring her back?" Dean snarled.

We had summoned Castiel after trying unsuccessfully to bring Hailey back through a crossroads demon.

"You don't understand," Castiel sighed. "Hailey Winchester was once completely human but she can't be resurrected. If the Trinity were to die they wouldn't come back. I once told her that her abilities were celestially given that in and of itself means that she can't come back the way she was."

"But she can come back?" Sam asked.

"I'm sorry, boys. But your sister's gone."

**Aiden's Point of View**

Losing my sister was one of the hardest losses I think that we had ever had to deal with. I don't remember hurting this much when Dad had died and when Sam and Dean had died that was bad, but this was worse. This was final; she wouldn't be coming back. Hailey was dead at twenty years old. Hailey had never gotten the chance for a normal life, growing up as a soldier, getting her GED to stop being the new kid. She relied only on those she considered family. She had a total of four boyfriends, the last of which was her fiancé. That to was almost too sad to think about. A wedding that would never come to pass.

"Aiden, you need to get some sleep," Tasha whispered.

"I'm fine," I muttered.

"Aiden, please," Tasha said. "Tomorrow's going to be hard enough as it is without being sleep deprived."

"Your girlfriend has a point," Dean said. "Let's just sleep. Or try to."

"I see her when I close my eyes," I whispered. "I see the way we found her."

"I know," Dean replied. "I know."

**Hailey's Point of View**

Most hunters didn't have funerals, especially those lost in battle. Most were burned on funeral pyres and a few tears shed, and then people would quickly move on. It wasn't out of callousness but out of necessity, survival. It wouldn't be helpful to be caught off guard and off our game. My brothers decided to have a funeral for me. I guess for closure purposes. My burial site was next to our mother, something that I liked. After all this time I was home, in Lawrence. Everyone showed up for it, it seemed. My cousins, Reid and Charlie. My surrogate brothers, Caleb, Pogue, and Tyler. The Whitman's, Harvelle's, Natasha and Missouri, and a bunch of other hunters who just came to pay their respects.

It went without saying that my funeral was closed casket; the coffin was a brilliant chestnut and covered in flowers. The headstone was propped right next to Mom's. I was sitting on my headstone, watching everything. Pastor Tom, one of the other Pastor's of Jim Murphy's congregation was leading the ceremony.

I recalled something Dean had said one time we were dealing with a shape shifter. We had killed it when it had taken Dean's identity. He had scoffed as we drove away, "I'm really going to miss it. How many time will I see my own funeral?"

When I had woken up after Beelzebub had killed me Castiel had been there. He explained that I was in limbo that my spirit was sticking around for whatever reason. He really didn't need to explain much more than that. My brothers and I had encountered spirits like me, ones who were unable to move on.

I watched as Aiden rose from where my brothers were sitting to stand next to Pastor Tom. He wiped his eyes and cleared his throat, gazing at the blown up picture standing by my coffin. It was taken only a few months ago, it felt like another lifetime.

"Hailey was the best little sister anyone could ever hope to have," Aiden began addressing the crowd. "We were close. All of us were. Of course we had our fights, most would say that was in our in our DNA. Hailey didn't deserve the way she died but at least she went out a fighter. That's the one comfort I can draw from all this, she died fighting to save the world."

"I love you, Aiden."

I watched as other people gave speeches with a mixture of despair and gratitude. I loved every one of those people. It hurt to see them all grieving, hurt so much that I don't think I'd be able to breath, if I was still breathing that is. It seemed like everyone had something to say and I watched the whole thing, even waiting as people departed and Darren stayed.

"I'm so sorry, Darren," I whispered.

"I miss you, Hailey," Darren whimpered, his eyes welling with tears. "So much."

I noticed that he had our wedding rings on a chain around his neck, which brought tears to my own eyes. It was bad enough to see how badly my brother's were faring.

"Come on, Dare," Alex soothed. "Don't do this to yourself."

"I miss her, man," Darren mumbled. "I love her."

"I know, buddy," Alex said. "She loved you too. According to Aiden she never stopped talking about you. When there was a bad hunt you were her first call. Bad day, she talked to you. If she was having a good day you made it better. Hailey was every bit as Whitman as she was a Winchester."

"Damn fucking straight," I smiled.

"Hey!"

I whirled around in surprise at the exclamation, knowing that this was in my dimension.

"Ash?" I gasped.

"It's time for you to come with me, Hails," Ash said.

"Heaven?" I asked.

"Yeah," Ash grinned. "Your life is just beginning, baby doll."

**Four Months Later: Dean's Point of View**

Waking up hung over was nothing new anymore. The only thing that kept Aiden, Sam, and I occupied was hunting. Any down time was spent drinking ourselves into a stupor. This was supported by the fact that our small hotel room was covered in empty beer cans and a few empty Johnny Walker bottles. Jo, Tasha, and Marley tried to help us but it was difficult when they themselves were grieving. I stirred, adjusting my position on the bed. My hands were under my pillow, but I couldn't find the gun. As I became more conscious I realized that the gun wasn't there.

"Lookin' for this?" Someone growled.

I spun around in time to see three figures in masks with a gun trained on each of us. Aiden and Sam were awake and seemed irritated at being held at gunpoint. I watched as the person who had my gun, popped the cartridge out before throwing it across the room. I made eye contact with Sam and Aiden; they were okay.

"Mornin'," I greeted.

"Shut up," The man returned. Hands where I can see 'em."

I lifted my hands up as I hefted myself into sitting position.

"Wait a minute," I growled finally realizing who these masked gunmen were. "Is that you, Roy?" When the guy recoiled I smirked, "it is, isn't it? Which makes you Walt and Peter. Hiya Walt. Nice meeting you, Peter."

The three exchanged perplexed glances before they reluctantly removed their masks.

"Doesn't matter," Walt sneered

Aw, so he was the ringleader.

"Well," I scoffed. "Is it just me, or do you three seem a tad upset?"

"You think you can flip the switch on the Apocalypse and just walk away, Sam?" Walt growled.

"Who told you that?" Sam questioned.

"We aren't the only hunters after you," Walt shrugged, pumping his shotgun. "See you in the next life."

"Hear me out," Sam reasoned. "I can explain, okay? Please?"

There was a pause, a second before Walt shot Sam twice in the chest. A few things happened at once. Sam dropped on the bed, limp and lifeless, the same time Aiden and I sprung to help Aiden lunged for his gunman, taking his own round of buckshot to the chest for his effort.

"Stay the hell down!" Roy ordered.

"Shoot 'im," Walt barked.

"Killing Sam was right…"

"Peter just shot the runt," Walt shouted. "He made us, and we just snuffed out his brothers, you idiot. You wanna spend the rest of your life knowing Dean Winchester's on your ass? Cause I sure don't. Shoot him."

I glared up into Roy's terrified eyes. Dragged into this bullshit plan or not, I would kill him

"Go ahead, Roy, do it," I shrugged. "But I'm gonna warn you, when I come back I'm gonna be pissed. C'mon! Let's get this show on the road."

"Fucking pussy," Walt sneered, shoving Roy out of the way and shooting me in the chest, everything went black within an instant.

When I woke up, I woke up in a field with a sparkler in my hand. I could see Sam, Aiden, and Hailey, all significantly younger staring at me in adoration. I remembered this it was July 4, 1996. I took them out to an abandoned field and we burnt it to the ground with fireworks. It was worth it to see my brothers and sister happy. This was also one of my favorite dreams.

"Hey!"

I whirled around to see someone in a colorful mask and a gold cape, waving me on.

"Shh," He cautioned. "Hurry! I know where Aiden and Sam are."

I followed after him cutting through trees and various other things before we arrived at a shack. He paused to scribble some symbols on the rusted door before running inside. I followed, shutting the door behind us.

"Dean, thank god!" Sam exclaimed.

"Good to see you both are okay," I grinned at Aiden and Sam. "But, who are you?"

The room was a lot bigger than it should've been. As the lights flared on, I realized with a jolt, where we were. The Roadhouse even smelled the same.

"Buenos dias, bitches!" Ash exclaimed as he whipped off his costume. "Welcome to my blue heaven."

"It even smells the same," Sam sighed.

"Bud, blood, and beer nuts," Ash smiled. "Best smell in the world. How about a cold one? Up here there are no hangovers."

"Sure," Aiden laughed. "Why not?"

We all took a sip of the offered beer while Ash chugged his, burping happily.

"You said this was your heaven?" Sam asked.

"Yup," Ash nodded.

"So they're two?" Sam asked.

"No," Ash shook his head. "More like a hundred billion. So, no worries, it'll take those angel boys a minute to catch up to 'y'all."

"What?" I questioned.

"See you gotta stop thinking of heaven as one place," Ash explained. It's more like a butt load of places all crammed together. Like Disneyland except without all the anti-Semitism."

"Disneyland?" Sam repeated.

"Mm-hmm," Ash said. "See you got Winchesterland. Ashland. A whole mess of every body else's land. Put them all together: heaven. At the center of it all is the Magic Kingdom. The garden."

"So everybody gets their own little slice of paradise," I summarized.

"Yup," Ash said. "I rigged a device to track the Angels. I'm fluent in Enochian. I'll explain it more later. Right now, though, there's someone you'll wanna see. Hold up."

We watched him leave the bar, each of us staring at one another in confusion. This was a lot of information to process at once. A few seconds later Ash came back a familiar blonde trailing after him.

"Hi guys," Hailey grinned. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Oh, my god!" Aiden gasped. "Hay!"

He ran over to her, picking her up and twirling her around. She hung onto him tightly both crying and clinging to one another. Aiden had just placed her on the ground when I grabbed her into a hug.

"Hi, big brother," Hailey whispered.

"It's so good to hear your voice, Hails," I whispered, holding her close. "These past few months…"

"I know," Hailey replied. "I've been watching you guys. I'm so sorry."

"No," I growled. "Don't be sorry it's not your fault."

"I tried," Hailey cried. "I tried not to but I lost too much blood. It hurt too much. I'm sorry."

"Shhh, Hails," I soothed. "You're one of the strongest people I know. I know how much you fought."

"I miss you guys so much," Hailey sighed.

"We miss you too, kiddo," I frowned.

I stepped away from her, noting that she looked exactly the way I remembered. She sighed and looked at Sam.

"Not gonna say 'hi', Sammy?" Hailey teased.

"I'm so sorry, Hailey," Sam replied.

Hailey rolled her eyes, closing the distance between herself and Sam to hug him.

"I'm not mad, Sammy," Hailey said. "I understand why you did it. But when it comes down to it. We're family, and that's all that matters. I love you."

I smiled at Hailey when I realized she was right. No matter what else was going on. No matter how screwed to hell the world was. Or how angry and betrayed I felt at Sam's actions we were family. And, no matter what happened that would be the one thing that kept us together. Dead or alive.

_No matter how dark the moment, love and hope is always possible._

* * *

_**Author's Note: So, I made an epilogue, mostly because I felt bad leaving things off on such a negative note. I hope this is a little more optimistic. Also, I'm taking the opportunity to tell you all that I'm making a prequel of sorts to Scream, Aim, Fire. I think that no matter how much I try, I always end up going back to Aiden and Hailey. So, be on the lookout for that, I'd recommend an Author's alert for that, because I don't know exactly when it's going up. At the moment it's tentatively titled Shadows of Security.**_

_**See you all soon. It's been on hell of a ride so far.  
**_

_**Love,**_

_**Beccatdemon13**_


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